Department of Health and Social Care

Air pollution: Health Hazards

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the effect on (a) public health and (b) air quality of the conclusions of the peer reviewed article by Prof Yu Shang et al entitled Cytotoxicity comparison between fine particles emitted from the combustion of municipal solid waste and biomass published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials No 367 (2019).

Steve Brine: Assessments of the risks of pollutants to health are informed by the weight of the available evidence, rather than being undertaken on the basis of an individual study. The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants advised that, although it is unlikely that all components of particulate matter have the same potency in causing health effects, the available evidence is insufficient to allow further quantification. Further information is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/411762/COMEAP_The_evidence_for_differential_health_effects_of_particulate_matter_according_to_source_or_components.pdf When consulted, Public Health England provides an expert and independent opinion to the regulator, Environment Agency, on the potential impacts including from particulate matter, on human health of emissions arising from existing or proposed regulated facilities, such as those investigated in this study.

NHS: Disclosure of Information

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report entitled, Freedom to Speak Up: An independent review into creating an open and honest reporting culture in the NHS published by Sir Robert Francis QC’s, what steps he has taken to to promote a culture of honesty and whistleblowing in the NHS; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of those steps.

Caroline Dinenage: The Secretary of State has been clear that speaking up and raising concerns should be encouraged across the National Health Service as a key part of continuing to improve patient safety and quality of services. The NHS, its leaders and employers should support and protect staff who raise concerns wherever they spot them. Employers are responsible locally for ensuring a culture of speaking up and the Department is supporting them in achieving this by working with the NHS to deliver Sir Robert Francis QC’s recommendations and principles. Building on Sir Robert Francis’s principles, the NHS Long Term Plan sets an ambition to shape a modern employment culture for the NHS. This includes promoting staff wellbeing and addressing all forms of discrimination including against those that speak up about concerns. This work will be delivered as part of the Workforce Implementation Plan announced in the Long Term Plan. The Department has appointed an independent National Guardian, Dr Henrietta Hughes, who leads over 750 local Freedom to Speak Up Guardians, covering every NHS trust in England. Trusts are required to have an Executive and Non-Executive Lead for Freedom to Speak Up, the National Guardian has also developed a self-review toolkit for NHS trusts boards to use in assessing speaking up culture in their organisation. Between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2018, 7,087 cases were raised to Freedom to Speak Up Guardians in NHS trusts and foundation trusts. Further details of the work of the National Guardian’s Office can be found at the following link: https://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/CCS119_CCS0718215408-001_NGO%20Annual%20Report%202018_WEB_Accessible-2.pdf The Department has already brought in The Employment Rights Act 1996 (NHS Recruitment - Protected Disclosure) Regulations 2018/579 which prohibits NHS employers from discriminating against job applicants because it appears to the employer that the applicant has made certain disclosures of information and as part of the response to the Gosport Panel Inquiry, we committed to introduce legislation, subject to Parliamentary time, so that every NHS trust in England is required to publish information on cases of speaking up and an overview of how the matters raised have been addressed.

Hepatitis

Rosie Duffield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the announcement, NHS England sets out plans to be first in the world to eliminate Hepatitis C, published on 29 January, what (a) discussions he has had with and (b) support he plans to provide to the NHS in relation to those plans.

Steve Brine: The United Kingdom Government is a signatory to the World Health Assembly resolution and World Health Organization goal of eliminating hepatitis C as a major public health threat by 2030. NHS England, the Department and Public Health England are working together across the system in range of relevant settings to deliver this goal. To drive equitable access to new direct acting antivirals drugs which can cure hepatitis C, NHS England has developed 22 Operational Delivery Networks (ODNs), led by a lead National Health Service provider trust with a specialist clinical lead. ODNs are the structures through which both case finding of undiagnosed patients and hepatitis C treatment are delivered in England. NHS England has employed financial and human resources to assist healthcare services to improve and increase diagnosis and access to treatment. Public Health England has developed materials with a range of stakeholders, including third sector providers, to help raise awareness of hepatitis C infection and highlight the need for those at risk to seek testing and treatment.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to support biomedical research into the diagnosis and treatment of ME.

Caroline Dinenage: The National Institute for Health Research welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including myalgic encephalomyelitis; it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

Dementia

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 14 of the NHS Long Term Plan, published in January 2019, how many of the one million hospital bed days to be freed up by that plan are planned to be used for patients with dementia.

Caroline Dinenage: Following the publication of the NHS Long Term Plan, the National Implementation Framework, to be published in the spring, will provide further information on how the Long Term Plan will be implemented. Additional details, based on local health system five-year plans, will be brought together in a detailed national implementation plan in the autumn. We will continue to work closely with key partners and stakeholders, including the Alzheimer’s Society and other voluntary sector partners, as we support the National Health Service to deliver the commitments set out in the Long Term Plan.

Dementia

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS Long Term Plan, published in January 2019, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that digitised health services proposed in that plan are accessible for people living with dementia.

Caroline Dinenage: The National Health Service in England will continue to work closely with stakeholders, including the Alzheimer’s Society, to ensure that digitised health services work for everyone and reflect the needs of people trying to stay healthy as well as those with complex conditions. A National Implementation Framework for the Long Term Plan will be published in the spring, and will provide further information. Additional details, based on local health system five year plans, will be brought together in a detailed national implementation plan in the autumn.

Hospices

Sir Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect on the operation of hospices of the increase in employer pension contributions.

Caroline Dinenage: The Department has made no assessment of the impact the increase in the NHS Pension Scheme employer contribution rate will have on hospice operations. It is for hospices as individual employers to oversee how they operate within the available budget. In addition to the long-term funding settlement for the National Health Service, HM Treasury committed to providing extra funding to meet the costs of to the NHS arising from the ongoing actuarial valuation of the NHS Pension Scheme. Work is ongoing to ensure the additional cost to participating employers is appropriately funded. Discussions are underway with NHS England and NHS Improvement to determine the optimum method for distributing this funding to NHS commissioners and service providers. Arrangements will be confirmed in due course.

Mental Illness: Children

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of children who have had (a) an Adverse Childhood Experience and (b) other mental ill health problem in each of the six local authority areas in the Liverpool City Region.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mental Health Services: Children

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the average length of waiting list for (a) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and (b) all other child mental health services in each of the six local authority areas in the Liverpool City Region in each of the past five years for which data are available.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of calls were responded to within the target timeframe in the area covered by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust in each of the categories measured (a) in total and (b) in each by District Council Area Level in each month of 2018.

Stephen Hammond: NHS England’s Ambulance Quality Indicators set out Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust performance against each of the categories measured in each month of 2018. The data is attached. Data by District Council area is not collected centrally. Ambulance response times are published monthly by NHS England at ambulance trust level. Data can be found online at the following address: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/



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Department of Health and Social Care: Brexit

Mr David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made in laying statutory instruments related to EU exit preparedness; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: The Government has made good progress in laying the up to 600 statutory instruments required by exit day to ensure a functioning statute book. As of 4 February, the Department has laid 13 exit-related Statutory Instruments, and has laid a further 10 Statutory Instruments on behalf of the Food Standards Agency. All exit-related Statutory Instruments are published on legislation.gov.uk, and include ‘EU Exit’ in their title.

Suicide

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking through the Cross-government suicide prevention workplan to help prevent loneliness and other underlying factors associated with suicide in children and young people.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Protecting the mental health of our children and young people is a top priority for this Government and is a core part of the National Health Service Long Term Plan. The cross-Government suicide prevention workplan highlights steps we are taking across Government to reduce suicides in children and young people, including implementation of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Green Paper, addressing online harms through the forthcoming Online Harms White Paper, action to tackle bullying, and action to improve support for university students. The Government takes the issue of loneliness, and the impact it can have on people’s wellbeing, seriously, which is why the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport published the Cross-Government Loneliness Strategy last year. The strategy includes a number of commitments across Government to tackle youth loneliness. The Department of Health and Social Care is working across central and local government to implement the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, which includes collaboration with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The Department has also noted the report published by the Samaritans on 21 January 2019 into loneliness, suicide and young people, and will consider its findings. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy highlights that addressing suicide prevention in children and young people requires tailored approaches to meeting their mental health needs. We are working with local government to ensure every local area in England has an effective suicide prevention plan in place. Public Health England provided suicide prevention planning guidance to local authorities to support them in developing their plans, which advises that local plans should implement the key areas for action in the National Strategy, including implementing tailored approaches to meet the needs of children and young people. This guidance highlights research published by the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health, which found that social isolation and withdrawal was a common theme in suicide by children and young people. The guidance is available at the following link: https://www.hqip.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/8iQSvI.pdf

Prisoners: Mental Illness

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many prisoners have been diagnosed with a mental illness while in prison in each year since 2010.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The information requested is not collected centrally.

NHS: Drugs

Karen Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when scoping is planned to start for the review of NICE technology appraisal methods set out in the 2019 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access.

Steve Brine: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will begin scoping what will be considered in the review of its technology appraisal methods in the 2019/20 business year.

Pancreatic Cancer

Anna Turley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the outcomes of pancreatic cancer diagnoses in line with the NHS England 2015 cancer strategy.

Steve Brine: The 2015 cancer strategy set ambitions for higher survival and improved patient experience and quality of life for all cancer patients, including pancreatic cancer patients. The NHS Long Term Plan takes forward those ambitions, stating that by 2028 three in four cancers will be diagnosed at an early stage and 55,000 more people will survive their cancer for five years or more. Over the last two years, NHS England have allocated over £200 million funding through their Cancer Alliances for earlier diagnosis and personalised care. In addition, £130 million funding has been invested in over 80 new or replacement linear accelerators in the modernisation of radiotherapy services. NHS England will shortly be introducing a Faster Diagnostic Standard of 28 days for all cancer patients, including those with pancreatic cancer, which when taken together with the 62-day referral to treatment standard, will mean that all patients should expect to start their treatment within 34 days of diagnosis. This is a maximum, and trusts should continue to treat patients more quickly particularly where there is a strong clinical need.

Mental Health Services: Expenditure

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2018 to Question 208247 on the regular reporting of mental health spend to the NHS dashboard, when the Government plans to publish the next quartile of data.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Mental health spend for quarter one of 2018/19 has been published on The Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard. It is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/mental-health-five-year-forward-view-dashboard/

Mental Health and Employers Independent Review

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2018 to Question 210680 and with reference to the Backbench Business Committee debate on Mental Health First Aid on 17 January 2019, Official Report columns 1366-1395, what the main outcomes were of the Work Leadership Council on the 17 January 2019.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2018 to Question 210677 on Mental Health and Employers Independent Review and with reference to the Backbench Business Committee debate on Mental Health First Aid on 17 January 2019, Official Report columns 1366-1395, whether the Government has plans to make the recommendations of the Farmer-Stevenson review binding for private business.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Thriving at Work Leadership Council met for the first time on 17 January 2019. The council is an employer-led group that will continue to meet throughout 2019 with the primary objectives to champion the core and enhanced standards and explore innovative solutions to further drive their implementation and adoption. Individual members committed to promoting the standards through their networks and to create sector champions. The Stevenson / Farmer review was clear that transparency was the best mechanism to drive take-up of the standards. This is why the Government developed the voluntary reporting framework which was launched on 22 November 2018. The Government encourages employers to take up the Thriving at Work recommendations and is actively promoting these through our business networks and by providing information, advice and support to employers through initiatives like the Mental Health at Work gateway launched in September 2018. Actively attracting, retaining and supporting the progression of valuable skilled employees who are disabled or have health conditions can help businesses to grow and prosper at a time of high employment and a changing workforce.

Genito-urinary Medicine

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2018 to Question 211320, if the Government will increase public health funding for local authorities to retain sexual health services.

Steve Brine: The 2015 Spending Review made available £16 billion of funding for local authority public health functions in England over the five-year period. It is for local authorities to determine how best to invest these resources based on assessment of local need and with regard to their statutory duties. Future funding for local authority public health function will be a matter for the Spending Review.

Health Services: Recruitment

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2018 to Question 211319 on the Nuffield Trust Paper, whether healthcare services in deprived areas will receive support to recruit more staff.

Stephen Hammond: It is the responsibility of National Health Service trusts to have staffing arrangements in place that deliver safe and effective care. This includes recruiting the staff needed to support these levels and meet local needs. My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has commissioned Baroness Dido Harding, working closely with Sir David Behan, to lead a number of programmes to engage with key NHS interests to develop a detailed workforce implementation plan. These programmes will consider detailed proposals to grow the workforce, including consideration of additional staff and skills required, build a supportive working culture in the NHS and ensure first rate leadership for NHS staff. Over the next five years, NHS England will use health inequalities adjustments to the national funding formula to disproportionately target funds at areas with high health inequalities. This means an estimated £1 billion a year being invested in these local areas by 2023/24. In exchange, those clinical commissioning groups in receipt of additional health inequalities funding – and the sustainability and transformation partnerships and integrated care systems of which they are a part – will for the first time be required to set out transparently how this extra funding is being targeted to improve equity of access and outcomes for inclusion health groups and underserved communities. Furthermore, all local health systems will be expected to set out during 2019 how they will specifically reduce health inequalities by 2023/24 and 2028.

Lipoedema

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) speed of diagnosis and (b) treatment of lipoedema.

Steve Brine: Lipoedema is a long-term (chronic) condition typically involving an abnormal build-up of fat cells in the legs, thighs and buttocks. The condition occurs almost exclusively in women, although there have been rare cases reported in men. Some estimates suggest that up to 11% of the female population may be affected. To support clinicians in identifying and treating lipoedema, in May 2014, the Royal College of General Practitioners worked in partnership with the charity Lipoedema UK to develop and publish an e-learning module for general practitioners on the diagnosis and management of lipoedema. The module was endorsed by the Royal College of Nursing. In May 2017, Wounds UK, an organisation that provides guidance, education and training in wound and skin management, published best practice guidance on diagnosing and treating lipoedema. The guidance can be found at the following link: www.lipoedema.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/WUK_Lipoedema-BPS_Web.pdf

Lipoedema

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) quality and (b) reliability of research into lipoedema.

Caroline Dinenage: The Department has made no separate assessment of the quality and reliability of lipoedema research. High quality research is subject to academic peer review before publication in journals. This applies to all research funded by the Department and other major United Kingdom public and charity research funders.

Self-harm: West Midlands

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people under the age of 18 have presented at A&E departments requiring treatment for self-harm in CCG areas covering the (a) Greater Birmingham (b) the West Midlands metro area in each of the last five years.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The information is not available in the format requested. NHS Digital Hospital Episode Statistics record the number of attendances to accident and emergency for deliberate self-harm for under 18s, by clinical commissioning group (CCGs) of usual residence in Greater Birmingham and the West Midlands, for the years 2013-14 to 2017-18. Data collected does not necessarily reflect where a patient was treated as they may have travelled to another area for treatment. 2013-142014-152015-162016-172017-18Total in Greater Birmingham14513015514075Total in West Midlands (excluding Greater Birmingham)9759351,0001,060860Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (NHS Digital)

Department of Health and Social Care: Sick Leave

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many days of sick leave have been taken by staff in his Department due to (a) stress and (b) mental ill-health in each of the last five years.

Caroline Dinenage: Departmental information systems do not record sickness absence relating to stress as a distinct category, but rather includes them in figures related to mental health disorders which are shown in the following table. Category20142015201620172018Total days lost due to mental illness2,3972,1941,8521,8321,419 Notes:Data as at 31 December for each year, except for 2018. 2018 is a rolling year figure from 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018.

Suicide: Bereavement Counselling

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's timescale is for rolling out bereavement services for families bereaved by suicide.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Funding for mental health will increase by at least £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24, which includes funding to ensure bereavement support in every part of the country by 2023/24. The implementation programme noted in the Long Term Plan will contain further details on the roll-out of these services.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Tomography

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department had with Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust in advance of the decision by that Trust to outsource the process of reading CT scans.

Stephen Hammond: We have not had any discussions with the Trust. It is for trusts to decide the best way of delivering services.

Mental Health Services: Nurses

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many mental health nurses have practised in each year since 2010.

Jackie Doyle-Price: NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), but not staff working in primary care, local authorities or other providers. The following table shows the number of nurses trained in mental health who work in National Health Service trusts and CCGs in England as at September each year and latest available data, full time equivalent. September 201040,247September 201139,024September 201238,135September 201337,397September 201436,581September 201535,671September 201635,488September 201735,390September 201835,835October 201836,465Source: NHS Digital Workforce Statistics The NHS workforce statistics only show those employed in the NHS, which does not reflect those working in the independent sector or in social care. The following table shows the number of nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) who have an address in England and registered in the field of mental health, as at the end of September each year, headcount. YearNurses registered in the field of mental health nursingSeptember 201071,647September 201171,618September 201270,767September 201370,746September 201471,137September 201570,572September 201669,678September 201768,973September 201869,355Source: NMC registration statistics The NMC registration statistics show the number of nurses registered and able to practice, but does not reflect whether they are currently practicing.

Royal Liverpool Hospital

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure the provision of (a) additional funding for Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals Trust to secure the remediation of structural faults to the new hospital building caused by Carrillion prior to its insolvency and (b) additional revenue funding to compensate the trust for unplanned revenue expenditure allocated to maintain the old hospital building beyond its anticipated life; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust is currently working closely with the replacement contractor Laing O’Rourke and external advisors in undertaking a full costed assessment of all the works needed to complete the new Royal Liverpool Hospital. This includes significant works required to fix the structural issues and defective works that have been identified following the termination of the Private Finance Initiative contract in 2018 in addition to those identified at termination and firming up the scale of works for issues previously identified. The work also includes an assessment of the additional revenue expenditure associated with the existing hospital facility to maintain patient safety and business continuity. Additional capital funding has already been provided by the Department for this purpose. The finalised costings and the additional capital and revenue funding required, to come from Departmental budgets, will be set out in a business case which the Trust is aiming to submit to the Department for approval in April 2019. The Department will continue to support and fund the Royal Liverpool Trust to get the new hospital built as quickly as possible, while making every penny of taxpayers’ money count.

Mental Illness: Restraint Techniques

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many instances of face-down restraint were recorded in mental health settings in each year from 2010.

Caroline Dinenage: Data on the number of instances of prone (face-down) restraint are shown in the following table. Data is not available prior to 2016/17 and the figures for the number of instances of prone restraint may contain duplicates where multiple interventions with identical dates and details (intervention type and duration) for the same individual have been identified.YearNumber of instances of prone restraintNumber of people subject to instances of prone restraint2016/1710,0712,9962017/1810,8813,075Source: NHS Digital’s Mental Health Services Data Set.

Learning Disability: Restraint Techniques

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many instances of face-down restraint were recorded in assessment and treatment units in each year from 2010.

Caroline Dinenage: Data on the number of instances of prone (face-down) restraint recorded for patients with a learning disability or autism who are in contact with secondary mental services are shown in the following table. Data is not available prior to 2016 and the figures for the number of instances of prone restraint may contain duplicates where multiple interventions with identical dates and details (intervention type and duration) for the same individual have been identified. Data is not available for assessment and treatment units specifically as the Mental Health Services Dataset does not record if a service falls into this category. YearNumber of instances of prone restraint of people with learning disability or autism20162,25020173,17020181,205Source: NHS Digital’s Mental Health Services Data Set

NHS: Training

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which organisations have been invited to participate in his Department's consultation on mandatory training on learning disabilities for health care staff.

Caroline Dinenage: The consultation on learning disability and autism training for health and care staff is expected to begin shortly. Comments are welcome from anyone with an interest.

NHS: Expenditure

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much (a) NHS England and (b) clinical commissioning groups have spent on (i) specialised services, (ii) primary care, (iii) community services, (iv) continuing healthcare and (v) other service areas of NHS commissioner spending in each year since 2014-15.

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the planned spending in each service area of NHS commissioner spending by (a) NHS England and (b) Clinical Commissioning Groups in 2018-19.

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much NHS England and clinical commissioning groups have spent in aggregate on (a) primary medical services, (b) community health services and (c) continuing healthcare in each year since 2014-15; and how much those organisations plan to spend in aggregate in 2018-19.

Stephen Hammond: The information requested is attached



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Nurses: Training

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the removal of bursaries for undergraduate nurses on the number of people choosing to study nursing.

Stephen Hammond: The NHS Long Term Plan, published 7 January 2019, sets out a vital strategic framework to ensure that over the next 10 years the National Health Service will have the staff it needs so that nurses have the time they need to care, working in a supportive culture that allows them to provide the expert compassionate care they are committed providing. My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has commissioned Baroness Dido Harding, working closely with Sir David Behan, to lead a number of programmes to engage with key NHS interests to develop a detailed workforce implementation plan. These programmes will consider detailed proposals to grow the workforce, including consideration of additional staff and skills required, build a supportive working culture in the NHS and ensure first rate leadership for NHS staff. The University and College Admissions Service end of cycle data, published in December 2018, shows that the demand for nursing and midwifery courses remained strong in 2018, with 22,200 acceptances to study nursing and midwifery at English providers in England.

NHS: Vacancies

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to fill staff vacancies in the NHS.

Stephen Hammond: The National Health Service employs more staff now than at any other time in its 70-year history, with an increase of 72,100 full time equivalent staff since May 20101. Posts may be vacant for a variety of reasons, including maternity and career breaks. Trusts make decisions based on local needs about how they fill these posts, including looking at short-term options for cover, including bank and agency staff. The latest data from NHS Improvement’s quarterly performance report shows that as at September 2018, around 80% of nursing and 85% of medical vacancies are filled by a combination of bank and agency staff.The Department has provided a 25% increase in funding available for training places for doctors and nurses from September 2018. There are currently over 52,000 nurses in undergraduate training, over 30,000 doctors in undergraduate training, and over 50,000 doctors currently in foundation and specialty postgraduate medical training. The Department is continuing to work closely with universities and stakeholders to ensure the uptake of additional training places. The NHS Long Term Plan sets out a vital strategic framework to ensure that over the next 10 years the NHS will have the staff it needs, so that nurses and doctors can administer the expert compassionate care they are committed to providing. Baroness Dido Harding, Chair of NHS Improvement, working closely with Sir David Behan, Chair of Health Education England, will lead a number of programmes to develop a detailed workforce implementation plan. Baroness Harding and Sir David Behan will present initial recommendations to the Department in spring 2019. A final workforce implementation plan will follow later in the year, taking into account the outcomes of the Spending Review. Note: 1NHS Digital Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England: latest data as at October 2018

Mental Health Inter-ministerial Group

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2019 to Question 212352 on Mental Health Inter-ministerial Group, on what date the inter-ministerial group for mental health will next meet.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: Finance

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2019 to Question 211319 on Accident and Emergency Departments, what mechanisms his Department will put in place to ensure a higher share of NHS funding is allocated to geographies with high levels of health inequality.

Stephen Hammond: NHS England is responsible for decisions on the weighted capitation formula used to allocate resources between clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). This process is independent of Government. NHS England take advice from the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation, a group of academics and other experts. Over the next five years, NHS England will use the health inequalities adjustments to the national funding formula to target additional funds at areas with high health inequalities. In exchange, those CCGs in receipt of additional health inequalities funding – and the sustainability and transformation partnerships and integrated care systems of which they are a part – will for the first time be required to set out transparently how this extra funding is being targeted to improve equity of access and outcomes for inclusion health groups and underserved communities. Furthermore, all local health systems will be expected to set out during 2019 how they will specifically reduce health inequalities by 2023-24 and then by 2028.

HIV Infection: Drugs

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the delay to the proposed doubling of places on the PrEP Impact Trial on his Department's commitment to ending new HIV transmissions by 2030.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to introduce the doubling of places on the PrEP Impact Trial.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, by what date the proposed doubling of places on its PrEP Impact Trial will be achieved.

Steve Brine: On 30 January, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced that the Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Impact trial would be expanded to 26,000 people. Work is underway with partners to take this forward. The PrEP Oversight Board has requested information on local capacity to make the additional places available, and will review this later in February. The Secretary of State also announced the Government’s commitment to ending new HIV transmissions in England by 2030. To support this work, an expert group will be established to develop an action plan over the course of this year. The important role of PrEP, as part of combination HIV prevention efforts, will be considered as part of this process.

Prime Minister

10 Downing Street: Flags

Patrick Grady: To ask the Prime Minister, on what occasions and dates the flag of the EU has been flown above 10 Downing Street since 2015.

Mrs Theresa May: None

Department for Work and Pensions

Personal Independence Payment

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason dialysis is not classified as therapy in relation to personal independence payment.

Sarah Newton: Dialysis is considered within the Personal Independence Payment Activity 3 – managing therapy or monitoring a health condition. This activity recognises the needs of a person requiring supervision prompting or assistance to undertake therapy at home which has been prescribed or recommended by a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or health professional regulated by the Health Professions Council.Where a person requires supervision, prompting or assistance to undertake home dialysis they can score points under activity 3.

Universal Credit

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will add prison photographic ID to the list of documents that can be used to verify a universal credit claim.

Justin Tomlinson: DWP and MoJ are working closely to deliver an improved Universal Credit claim process for prison leavers. We continue to work collaboratively with MoJ to explore options to overcome a number of issues, including the use of prison documentation as proof of identity for Universal Credit claims. We also continue to explore options for claims to be made via telephony channels. At present, there are various ways in which a claimant can verify their identity for Universal Credit purposes: online using the gov.uk verify service; in person using primary and secondary ID verification or; by using biographical questions, for those who do not have identity documents.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the accuracy of advice given to claimants by Jobcentre staff on moving on to universal credit.

Alok Sharma: All DWP staff delivering Universal Credit undergo a comprehensive learning journey designed to equip them with the tools, skills and behaviours required to provide a high quality service to all claimants, including those who have complex needs. This learning includes facilitator-led learning and skills practice, supported by multimedia learning materials. Before delivering Universal Credit Full Service work coaches receive a minimum of 90 hours additional training which builds on their existing skills and knowledge to prepare them for their role. New staff taking up this role will receive at least 178 hours of job-specific learning. DWP staff who move to a case manager role delivering Universal Credit Full Service receive a minimum of 90 hours of job-specific training. New staff joining the Department in this role undertake a minimum of 143 hours of learning. Training is a blend of face-to-face and online learning, which focuses on the technical delivery of Universal Credit, the transformational change and guidance based on the Universal Credit regulations. Staff are also given on-the-job training to consolidate what they have learnt. In addition team leaders are responsible for monitoring and assuring the quality of services provided to individual claimants. This is completed through a combination of observation (of interviews), feedback, coaching and appraisal.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria her Department uses to override a decision of a magistrates' court in relation to the value of deductions in claimants’ universal credit awards; and if she will make a statement.

Alok Sharma: Magistrate Courts impose fines and compensation orders on offenders, and can instruct the DWP to make a deduction from Universal Credit. We will not override the decision of a Magistrates Court. When DWP receives a formal application from a Magistrates Court, which complies with the Fines (Deductions from Income Support) Regulations 1992 for a fine and/or compensation order, we will make a deduction from a claimant’s benefit. The deduction rate is set out in the regulations at a minimum rate of 5% of their standard allowance and up to a maximum rate of £108.35 (£25 per week) per assessment period, as long as there is sufficient Universal Credit in payment.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Disqualification

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is her Department’s policy to sanction claimants of jobseeker's allowance who decline to accept a job with a zero hours contract; and if she will make a statement.

Alok Sharma: Jobseeker's Allowance claimants are not required to apply for zero hours contract jobs and will not be sanctioned if they refuse an offer of a job on a zero hours contract.

Universal Credit: Civil Proceedings

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions each local authority has been subject to legal action for the provision of inaccurate advice on universal credit to claimants in each of the last two years.

Alok Sharma: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will respond to any questions relating to Universal Credit policy if asked to do so by local authorities. However, DWP would have no wider role to play in, and would collect no data in relation to, legal challenges brought against individual local authorities as a result of their advice about Universal Credit.

Pension Credit: North West

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of pension credit claimants in (a) Warrington, (b) Warrington North constituency and (c) the North West who have a partner of working age and will be affected by forthcoming changes to the rules on pension credit.

Guy Opperman: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the effect of universal credit on people's ability to pay upfront childcare costs without incurring debt.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to provide low-income families with financial support for childcare when that childcare is paid for.

Justin Tomlinson: Universal Credit is more generous in terms of childcare costs with an increased level of support for childcare costs: from 70 per cent in legacy benefits to 85 per cent within Universal Credit. We recognise that the upfront cost of childcare may cause some claimants financial difficulty. Consequently, the Secretary of State announced in her speech of 11 January 2019, that where the initial month’s childcare costs may prevent a claimant from starting work, jobcentres have been instructed to use the Flexible Support Fund to help smooth this transition. Furthermore, when parents have good reason for not reporting their childcare costs immediately, the Department will be more flexible to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point. The Government now provides more support than ever before to help parents with the costs of childcare, including providing 15 hours a week of free childcare in England for all 3 and 4 year olds and disadvantaged 2 year olds, and doubling free childcare available for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours a week.

Members: Correspondence

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Glasgow East of 17 December 2018, reference DL2671.

Alok Sharma: I replied to the hon. Member on 4 February 2019.

Independent Case Examiner

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will allocate further additional resources to the Independent Case Examiner to reduce (a) waiting times for decisions and (b) the number of cases outstanding.

Justin Tomlinson: Funding for the Independent Case Examiner’s Office is reviewed on an annual basis. In the current financial year, the Office has received funding for thirteen additional posts.

Work Capability Assessment: Slavery

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether victims of modern slavery are exempt from the requirement to take an annual work capability assessment; and if she will make a statement.

Sarah Newton: Ending modern slavery is one of this Government’s top priorities, and we are sensitive to the challenges faced by victims. We have worked with the Salvation Army to improve the service provided by DWP to victims. The purpose of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is to assess the impact of mental and physical health conditions, including any resulting from being a victim of modern slavery on a person, so that the right level of benefit and support can be provided. There are no exemptions from being assessed for those claiming Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), or Universal Credit (UC) due to illness or disability. In addition to completing the application form or forms people or those supporting them are encouraged to provide additional evidence, including medical reports, to support their claim. If it is possible for the assessor to provide advice to the decision maker without requiring the claimant to attend a face-to-face assessment, they will do so.The WCA is not an annual assessment. Re-referral dates can be up to 24 months for those found to have limited capability for work, and up to 3 years for those found to have limited capability for work-related activity. Furthermore, from 29 September 2017 those placed in ESA’s Support Group and the UC equivalent who have the most severe and lifelong health conditions or disabilities, whose level of function would always mean that they would have Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity, and be unlikely ever to be able to move into work, will no longer be routinely reassessed.

Children: Maintenance

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department takes to assess the income of paying parents who are company directors in child maintenance service cases.

Justin Tomlinson: As company directors are considered to be employed by the company, we use the most recently available income data directly from HMRC to calculate how much child maintenance should be paid. Where company directors receive additional income from dividends, property, savings or other investments, this can be taken into account through an unearned income variation.

Social Security Benefits

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any claimants featured in her Department's promotional materials have received payment for doing so in each of the last four years.

Justin Tomlinson: None of the claimants sharing their stories in the Department’s promotional materials have received payment for doing so in each of the last four years.

Universal Credit

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking ensure that there is sufficient public awareness of the changes to universal credit entitlement for mixed-aged couples among people who are affected by that change.

Guy Opperman: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the date of completion is of the most recent equality impact assessment carried out on the changes to universal credit entitlement for mixed-aged couples.

Guy Opperman: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for Work and Pensions: Members' Constituency Work

Ronnie Cowan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many enquires her Department has received from Members of the Scottish Parliament in relation to constituency cases in the last six months.

Justin Tomlinson: The information requested is not available other than at disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who have made a claim for universal credit did not complete their application.

Alok Sharma: Based on our internal data for August 2018, in total 28 per cent of claims did not complete the process. Of this figure around 8 per cent of claims were closed due to non-entitlement, for example because of capital or not passing the Habitual Residence Test. The remainder (around 18 per cent*) were closed due to non-compliance with the process, for example failure to sign a Claimant Commitment and failing to provide evidence to support their claim. *percentages do not add up to 28 per cent owing to rounding.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Ged Killen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether as a result of the ongoing judicial review into complaints in relation to the equalisation of state pension age, women that have lodged complaints that are being processed will have their complaints (a) paused or (b) closed until the judicial review is complete.

Guy Opperman: This government and the various other bodies are acting no differently to all previous governments subject to a legal challenge on such an issue. Following the High Court’s decision on 30 November 2018 to grant the claimants permission to proceed to a full judicial review hearing on the changes to State Pension age, the department has reviewed its handling of such complaints. The department has concluded that the issue in the Judicial Review does impact on the ongoing complaints. Therefore, the DWP has decided to temporarily suspend action on current and future complaints on State Pension age matters until the final court decision in the judicial review. We do not think it is appropriate for the DWP to investigate a matter that is currently being considered by the High Court. An update explaining this will be added to the gov.uk website, and anyone who has an affected complaint we will notify. Matters that are unrelated to the judicial review will be progressed as normal under DWP’s complaints procedure. This approach is consistent with the decision taken by the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman. Following the decision of the High Court to grant permission for a judicial review to go ahead on the changes to State Pension age, the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman’s office has confirmed that they will be taking no further action on current and future complaints they receive on changes to State Pension age until the court proceedings conclude. The Independent Case Examiner provides an independent review of complaints which remain unresolved following a final response from the DWP. As such, the Independent Case Examiner has also considered its position in light of the High Court decision. The Independent Case Examiner Office has no role to play in matters which are, or have been, the subject of legal proceedings. As a result, following the High Court decision, the Independent Case Examiners’ Office took action to close all live State Pension age complaints, in line with its agreed operational parameters. The table provides information on the number of cases closed at the Independent Case Examiner relating to State Pension age changes, and the rationale for closing them. The number rejected (b) may increase (complaints cannot currently be accepted due to the judicial review).Reason for complaint closureNumber (a) Independent Case Examiner investigation report issued192(b) Rejected (the complaint failed to meet the Independent Case Examiner acceptance criteria)1,598(c) Withdrawn by complainant1(d) Closed following the High Court decision to grant permission for a judicial review of the Department’s handling of the change to women’s State Pension age – it is not within the Independent Case Examiner remit to consider issues which are, or have been, subject to legal proceedings.2,505 In the event that the High Court makes no legal determination in respect of the complaint regarding State Pension age change, the Department will review its position once more and consider lifting the suspension. At this point the Independent Case Examiner Office could, at the request of the Department, also re-open those complaints closed as a result of the judicial review. This would be on the understanding that: (a) the matter is no longer the subject of legal proceedings and (b) there has been no legal determination on the issues which form the basis of the complaint to the Independent Case Examiner.

Children: Day Care

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to increase (a) awareness and (b) uptake of financial support available to parents for childcare costs, especially among low-income families.

Justin Tomlinson: As was recently announced by the Secretary of State in her speech on 11 January 2019, where the initial month’s childcare costs may prevent a claimant from starting work, Jobcentres have been instructed to use the Flexible Support Fund to help smooth this transition. The Department is working to ensure that frontline staff are aware of, and promote, the additional financial support available to eligible claimants to help them with their childcare costs. Instructions on the use of the Flexible Support Fund have already been issued to operational staff across the country and further notices will be issued as processes are refined and updated.

Personal Independence Payment: Appeals

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, what estimate she has made of the clearance times for mandatory reconsiderations for personal independence payments (a) nationally and (b) in the North East of England.

Sarah Newton: The median clearance time, in calendar days, for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) to be cleared was 34 days for both Great Britain and the North East of England in the period April to October 2018. This data on MR clearance times is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision. Data has been provided for the period to October 2018 to be consistent with the latest official statistics that have been published on MR clearance volumes. MR is a key element of the decision making process for both the Department and claimants, and whilst ensuring they make quality decisions, decision makers work hard to clear applications without delay. Gathering the right evidence is critical at the MR stage if decisions are not to go to appeal; and we are reviewing our processes to not only obtain this, but to do so whilst continuing to make decisions timeously.

Universal Credit: Telephone Services

Danielle Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what targets have been put in place for universal credit helpline call handlers to promote the use of the digital channel to claimants.

Alok Sharma: The Department has not set any targets for Universal Credit helpline call handlers to promote the use of the digital channel to claimants. I refer the hon. Member to my answers to Questions 212666 and 212668 on 30 January 2019.

Universal Credit

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of claimants who will undergo natural migration from legacy benefits into universal credit in 2019 in (a) the Vale of Clwyd, (b) Wales, and (c) the UK.

Alok Sharma: Claimants who move from existing benefits to Universal Credit do so because they have had a significant change in their circumstances that would previously have triggered a new claim to an existing benefit or tax credit. As claimants only move when they have had a significant change in their circumstances we are unable to estimate this.

Home Office

Home Office: Complaints

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what complaints procedure is open to members of the public if they wish to complain that (a) his Department’s Data Protection Officer and (b) any staff of his Department is in breach of the Civil Service Code.

Victoria Atkins: Complaints regarding the conduct of any member of Home Office staff, including the Data Protection Officer, can be submitted according to the advice provided on the Home Office’s pages of the.Gov.UK website.Allegations that they have breached the Civil Service Code will be investigated in line with the Home Office Discipline Policy and Procedure.

Immigrants: Detainees

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential effect of the proposed Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill on (a) the number of people detained under immigration powers and (b) the number of Immigration Removal Centres required in the UK.

Caroline Nokes: The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill will end free movement and provide the legal framework for the future border and immigration system. The measures in the Bill are primarily focused on preparing the UK to exit the EU.We continue to look at issues relating to detention, including the numbers of people who are detained prior to removal and the size of the estate, to ensure we have a detention system that is fair to those who may be detained, upholds our immigration policies and acts as a deterrent to those who might seek to frustrate these policies.

Fire and Rescue Services: Pensions

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department took to ensure that the changes made to firefighters’ pensions in 2015 were compliant with equality legislation when those changes were implemented; and how his Department ensures that policy making is equality legislation compliant.

Mr Nick Hurd: The changes made to firefighters’ pensions by DCLG (now MHCLG) in 2015 were part of an overarching pensions reform programme which applied to all public service pension schemes and included equality checks and public consultation on equality issues. When considering reforms to the secondary legislation which underpins the firefighters’ pension scheme, the Home Office has proper regard to its public sector equality duty and follows the appropriate consultation process.

Deportation: English Language

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have (a) been removed and (b) have left the UK as a result of English language tests administered by ETS in each of the last 12 months.

Caroline Nokes: UKVI transparency data provides details of refusal, curtailments and removal decisions in response to the abuse of secure English language testing.A link to the most recent available data is provided here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-and-permanent-migration-data-february-2017The table in SELT_02 is the closest match to the information requestedThe data was last published in February 2017 and only contains data to the last quarter (December 2016). ETS data is no longer published after this date.

Overseas Students

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to his oral contribution of 28 January 2019, Official Report, column 504, whether it is his policy that there will be no immigration limits on the number of international students.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to undertake a review of his Department's policy on the inclusion of international students within the net migration target.

Caroline Nokes: There is no limit to the number of international students who can come to study in the UK, and as the White Paper ‘The UK’s future skills-based immigration system’ makes clear, there will continue to be no limit on the number of international students who can study here in the future.The independent Office for National Statistics, who follow best international practice, produce the migration statistics and the Government does not seek to influence this. The Migration Advisory Committee recommended that international students should not be removed from the net migration statistics and the Government has accepted this recommendation.The MAC also stated that continued discussion of students in the net migration target may be contributing to any perception that the UK is not welcoming to international students. In any event, being included in the net migration target does not act to students’ detriment as there is no limit on the number of international students who can come to study in the UK.

British Nationality and Visas: Oldham

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, at which locations the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service Centres will be based after services are moved out of Oldham Post Office.

Caroline Nokes: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 04 February 2019.The correct answer should have been:

There is no limit to the number of international students who can come to study in the UK, and as the White Paper ‘The UK’s future skills-based immigration system’ makes clear, there will continue to be no limit on the number of international students who can study here in the future.The independent Office for National Statistics, who follow best international practice, produce the migration statistics and the Government does not seek to influence this. The Migration Advisory Committee recommended that international students should not be removed from the net migration statistics and the Government has accepted this recommendation.The MAC also stated that continued discussion of students in the net migration target may be contributing to any perception that the UK is not welcoming to international students. In any event, being included in the net migration target does not act to students’ detriment as there is no limit on the number of international students who can come to study in the UK.There are 57 UK Visa and Citzenship Application Service Centres across the UK. The nearest services to Oldham are in: Manchester; Stockport; Burnley; and Preston.

Caroline Nokes: There is no limit to the number of international students who can come to study in the UK, and as the White Paper ‘The UK’s future skills-based immigration system’ makes clear, there will continue to be no limit on the number of international students who can study here in the future.The independent Office for National Statistics, who follow best international practice, produce the migration statistics and the Government does not seek to influence this. The Migration Advisory Committee recommended that international students should not be removed from the net migration statistics and the Government has accepted this recommendation.The MAC also stated that continued discussion of students in the net migration target may be contributing to any perception that the UK is not welcoming to international students. In any event, being included in the net migration target does not act to students’ detriment as there is no limit on the number of international students who can come to study in the UK.There are 57 UK Visa and Citzenship Application Service Centres across the UK. The nearest services to Oldham are in: Manchester; Stockport; Burnley; and Preston.

Home Office: Brexit

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2019 to Question 207552 on Home Office: Brexit, how much of the £875 million allocated to his Department for Brexit preparations in 2018-19 and 2019-20 has been allocated to preparing for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Caroline Nokes: For the financial year 2018-19, the department was allocated £395m based on planning for both the ‘preferred’ scenario and ‘no deal’ scenario covered in the Department for Exiting the European Union’s (DExEU) ‘Implementation Guidance for the EU Exit Programme’.For the financial year 2019-20, the Department received £480m. These funds have still to be allocated internally.

Visas: Russia

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will expedite visa applications for Russian (a) human rights activists, (b) journalists and (c) civil society activists to visit the UK to enable them to hold discussions with Government representatives on the human rights situation in Russia; and whether it is his Department's policy to provide (i) temporary visas for sanctuary and (ii) asylum to  Russian (A) human rights activists and (B) journalists that need to leave Russia for their safety.

Caroline Nokes: All visa applications are considered on their individual merits and in line with UK immigration rules and guidance.As a signatory to the Refugee Convention, the UK fully considers all asylum claims lodged in the UK. We do not consider asylum claims lodged outside UK territory and there is no provision in the Immigration Rules to allow someone to travel to the UK for temporary protection or to claim. We recognise the continuing concerns of key partners domestically and internationally around the human rights situation in Russia, and we remain committed to continuing engagement with them on this issue.

Sex and Relationship Education

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has held with the Secretary of State for Education on the effectiveness of the draft national curriculum relationships and sex education guidance in preventing violence against women and girls.

Victoria Atkins: Ministers and officials have regularly held discussions on the effectiveness of Government action across departments to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG). A key mechanism for this is the Inter-Ministerial Group on Violence Against Women and Girls, which is chaired by the Home Secretary and has members from across government, including the Minister for Women and Equalities and the Secretary of State for Education.

Immigration: Computer Software

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which versions of the Android operating system are compatible with the Government’s Application for applying for Settled Status.

Caroline Nokes: EU citizens make a huge contribution to our economy and society, and we want them to stay. The EU Settlement Scheme enables them to do so. The application process is short and user-friendly, and it will be accessible on any smartphone, tablet or computer using internet browsers.The ‘EU Exit: Identity Document Check’ app – which allows applicants to prove their identity remotely, without sending in their passport or national identity card – runs on the Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) operating system and above.Applicants who do not have access to devices with a compatible operating sys-tem can, if they wish, use a family member or friend’s compatible Android de-vice to access the app, and complete the rest of the process on their own de-vice.Additionally, we currently have 13 locations where applicants can have their ID document scanned, if they choose to do so. Once the scheme is fully open, by 30 March 2019, there will be over 50 locations across the UK where applicants can have their identity document scanned. Applicants will also be able to post identity documents to the Home Office to be checked and returned quickly.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the longest waiting time has been for a decision to be made on an application for Settled Status.

Caroline Nokes: Over the two private beta test phases, over 30,000 applications have been re-ceived and the majority of those individuals have already been successfully processed through the scheme and granted status under it. A smaller propor-tion of cases were held pending further evidence of residence to be submitted from the applicant. Caseworkers are working directly with applicants on these cases.We have published two separate reports on the both private beta phases and we have committed to provide further details in due course of the planned phased implementation of the scheme. We will continue to update Parliament as part of that process. Please see the private beta reports here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/752872/181031_PB1_Report_Final.pdf.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-private-beta-2/eu-settlement-scheme-private-beta-testing-phase-2-report.

Asylum: Children

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timeframe is for the completion of the review of funding for unaccompanied asylum seeking children in Portsmouth.

Caroline Nokes: The review into funding to local authorities to support of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children remains ongoing. There are tough choices which need to be considered in the wider context of fiscal pressures the Home Office is also facing. It is right that time is taken to get these decisions right.

Police: Finance

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding has been made available to police forces for contingency planning in relation to the UK leaving the EU; which police forces have applied for that funding; how many of those applications have been successful; how much has been spent on that contingency planning to date; and whether that funding is available to police in Scotland.

Mr Nick Hurd: Claims for EU Exit related policing costs for forces in England and Wales have been dealt with under the Special Grant process. So far only Kent Police have sought funding and have been provided with £845,000 to cover their planning costs. We are continuing to liaise closely with the force to ensure they have the resources they need.Funding provided by the Home Office is only for forces in England and Wales. Policing in Scotland is a devolved issue.We are also working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) on implementing operation safety net to establish the International Based on NPCC proposals we agreed to allocate £2.4m of additional, national-level funding to the NPCC for this work in 2018/19.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office: Brexit

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2019 to Question 207548 on Northern Ireland Office: Brexit, for what reason calculating a specific allocation would be disproportionately difficult in relation to estimating the amount of funding her Department has allocated to preparing for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

John Penrose: The Northern Ireland Office has not specifically allocated any funding for no deal preparations. A number of staff across the Department work on both EU Exit and non-EU exit related work. Where staff spend some or all of their time working on EU Exit, this includes work to prepare for all potential exit scenarios, including no deal. It would therefore not be possible to accurately calculate or estimate how much staff time is spent solely on preparing for a no deal outcome.

Political Parties: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when she last chaired round table talks between the leaders of the main political parties in Northern Ireland.

Karen Bradley: I am in regular contact with the leaders of the Northern Ireland parties and I remain focused on bringing the parties together to work towards re-establishing devolved government in Northern Ireland.

Political Parties: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans she has to appoint an independent mediator to chair discussions with the main political parties in Northern Ireland to restore devolution.

Karen Bradley: I have made clear that I am ready to consider all proposals which could support the parties in finding an agreement to restore the Executive. As always, all options remain on the table.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Members

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when she plans to further reduce the salaries of Members of the Legislative Assembly in the continued absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Assembly.

Karen Bradley: A second reduction to MLA salaries took effect last month, bringing the total reduction to 27.5%. While the Assembly is not sitting, I recognise that MLAs continue to be active in constituency work. The reduction that has been implemented reflects the work MLAs have been doing in the current period and is in line with the recommendations of former Assembly clerk and chief executive Trevor Reaney.

Treasury

Child Tax Credit: Refugees

Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many resettled refugee families arriving in the UK since 2015 under (a) the Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Scheme, (b) the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme and (c) the Gateway Protection Programme are impacted by the two-child tax credit cap.

Elizabeth Truss: Refugee families who arrive in the UK with children all of whom are born before 6 April 2017 will not be impacted by the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children. Children brought into the UK under the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme will also not be impacted by the policy if they qualify for an exception by being (a) adopted where they would otherwise be in Local Authority Care; or (b) in specified non-parental caring arrangements. Specific information on the number of resettled refugee families arriving in the UK since 2015 who are affected by the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children is not held by HMRC.

Customs Declaration Services Programme

Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the go-live operational date is scheduled for the new Customs Declaration Service to take over from CHIEF system.

Mel Stride: The Customs Declaration Service (CDS) is being delivered through three releases of functionality alongside the CHIEF system. HMRC has delivered the majority of imports functionality through two releases in August and December 2018. The third release, planned for March, will provide the functionality necessary for exports. Some businesses are already using CDS, and HMRC expects all businesses to migrate to the new service after the third release has been implemented. In the meantime, the existing CHIEF system will remain available for businesses to use.

Import Duties

Peter Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to publish the schedule of applied tariff rates for imports and exports in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Mel Stride: In the event of “no deal” the Government will publish new UK duty rates, in the coming weeks, before we leave the EU.

Credit: Interest Rates

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made representations to the Financial Conduct Authority on investigating whether payday loan companies are applying affordability checks to applicants.

John Glen: The Regulation of consumer credit is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The government has given the FCA strong powers to protect consumers and to take action against firms and individuals that do not meet its standards.FCA rules are based on the principle that money should only be lent to a consumer if they can afford to repay it. The rules set out what is expected of firms, and the sanctions if they lend irresponsibly.Treasury ministers and officials meet regularly with the FCA, and the government will continue to work closely with the FCA to ensure all customers are treated fairly.

EU budget: Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Government will make an estimate of the amount of money that the EU has spent on the (a) Republic of Ireland and (b) island of Ireland to date; and if he will make an estimate of the amount of money the UK has contributed to those bodies that formed part of that spending.

Elizabeth Truss: The government contributes to the EU budget as a whole and not to individual member states or funds, therefore it is not possible to separate UK funding which has been allocated to the Republic of Ireland or the island of Ireland through the EU budget. The Commission does however publish details of receipts to each Member State which can be found online at: http://ec.europa.eu/budget/figures/interactive/index_en.cfmAn overview of EU funding to Northern Ireland can be found online at: https://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/news/eu-funding-northern-ireland-0_en

Tax Avoidance

Mr Paul Sweeney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the IR35 reforms, how much extra tax is payable by the firm in addition to the fees paid to the worker when a firm classes someone as an employee for tax purposes; and what that tax payable would be for a worker charging £400 per day for their services.

Mel Stride: The off-payroll working rules (sometimes known as IR35) only affect people working like employees and through a company. The recent changes to the rules in the public sector, shift responsibility for assessing the individual’s employment status from the individual’s company to the public authority. If the engager contracts with the individual’s company, the reform also shifts responsibility for deducting the required employment taxes and paying employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) to the engager. Otherwise this responsibility lies with the person paying the individual’s company. The reform does not change the amount of tax payable by the firm engaging the worker. Both before and after the reforms employer NICs is due, and the £1.3 billion raised by 2023/2024 for the Exchequer is from increased compliance with the rules, not from any additional tax.

Small Businesses: Exports

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government plans to take to do to simplify bureaucracy and support small businesses exporting goods in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Mel Stride: In the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and to minimise changes, all businesses importing or exporting goods to and from the EU will broadly follow existing processes for trading with the rest of the world. HMRC is working closely with industry to ensure checks minimise delays for legitimate trade, while ensuring compliance. HMRC has already written to VAT-registered businesses trading only with the EU providing support and guidance to prepare for a no deal. Further guidance for businesses can be found on gov.uk.

Child Benefit

Tommy Sheppard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to improve public understanding of the link between national insurance credits and child benefit; and what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the pension income of stay-at-home parents who do not claim child benefit of the high-income child benefit tax charge.

Elizabeth Truss: The government has always encouraged families to claim Child Benefit to receive the associated National Insurance credits and help protect their future right to the State Pension. Parents are advised to do this on the Child Benefit claim form (which is included in Bounty Packs that go to new parents), through the HMRC helpline, and online at GOV.UK. From April 2019 the Child Benefit claim form and accompanying notes will further emphasise the non-monetary benefits a Child Benefit award provides: in particular, the associated National Insurance credits which protect their State Pension. In addition, HMRC is developing social media content and material that can be distributed to external partners, to further promote the importance of claiming. Most parents are able to qualify for the new State Pension, even if there are gaps of up to 15 years in their National Insurance records. This means that those parents who have not claimed Child Benefit still have the opportunity to achieve the full State Pension.

Erasmus+ Programme

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to provide funding for students due to start their Erasmus+ placements after 29 March 2019 in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Elizabeth Truss: In the event that the UK leaves the EU with a withdrawal agreement in place, the UK will participate in Erasmus+ until the end of the current cycle in 2020. Leaving the EU with a deal remains the government’s top priority. In the event the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement, the Government will engage with the European Commission with the aim of securing the UK’s participation in Erasmus+ until 2020. Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/erasmus-in-the-uk-if-theres-no-brexit-deal/erasmus-in-the-uk-if-theres-no-brexit-deal

Children: Poverty

Lyn Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the contribution of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 29 January 2019, Official Report, Column 637, to which (a) initial and (b) final financial year she referred to in relation to official estimates of the change in the number of children in absolute child poverty.

Elizabeth Truss: From 2009/10 to 2016/17, the number of children in absolute poverty fell from 2.5 million to 2.2 million.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Culture: Finance

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to arts and culture projects in (a) Barnsley, (b) Warwick and (c) Windsor and Maidenhead local authorities in each year since 2010.

Michael Ellis: As outlined in the attached table, Arts Council England has allocated the following funding for arts and culture projects in each of the Local Authority areas of Barnsley, Warwick and Windsor and Maidenhead, for each year since 2010/11.



Local Authority areas arts 
(PDF Document, 27.46 KB)

Digital Technology: Older People

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to help elderly people learn digital skills in (a) the East Midlands and (b) England.

Margot James: We are committed to helping elderly people acquire basic digital skills as part of our broader strategy to reduce digital exclusion. The Government’s Digital Strategy, published in March last 2017, sets out the Government’s approach to tackling digital exclusion. It recognises that for the UK to be a world-leading digital economy that works for everyone, it is crucial that everyone has the digital skills they need to fully participate in society. In September 2018 DCMS launched a £400,000 Innovation Fund to tackle the digital exclusion of older and disabled people. Three pilot projects will address the digital exclusion of these groups with a view to replicating and scaling successful interventions in future. DCMS are also supporting the development of Local Digital Skills Partnerships to encourage collaboration between key regional stakeholders to design and deliver innovative digital skills provision locally. Working closely with regional LEPs and Combined Authorities, three regions - Lancashire, Heart of the South West and the West Midlands have already launched with a further three regions - South East, Cheshire and Warrington and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly coming on stream over the coming months. On 18th September 2018, we published plans to improve adult basic digital skills.We will introduce an entitlement to full funding for basic digital courses from 2020, similar to the entitlements already in place for maths and English. This will provide adults of any age the opportunity to undertake improved qualifications based on new national standards free of charge. We understand that it is sometimes difficult for elderly people to access services digitally. Through around 3000 libraries across England we provide a trusted network of accessible locations with trained staff and volunteers, free Wi-Fi, computers, and other technology as well as Assisted Digital access to a wide range of digital public services where individuals are unable to access these services independently. There are numerous library device loan schemes across the country, many of which have a high take-up by older people. Government is also tackling digital exclusion via the ‘Future Digital Inclusion’ programme funded by DfE, managed by the Good Things Foundation and delivered through the 5,000 strong national Online Centres network based out of libraries and other community spaces. There is provision across the East Midlands. To date, this programme has supported 1 million adult learners to develop their basic digital skills, many adults aged over 65 have benefited from “Future Digital Inclusion” programme (approx. 170,000). Further, the NHS Digital ‘Widening Digital Participation’ programme develops projects that enable people in England to improve their digital health skills and to increase their access to digital services and tools that support their health and care. A large percentage of those who have benefited from this service are elderly people.

Centre for Ageing Better

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 38 of the Civil Society Strategy published in August 2018, when his Department's review with the Centre for Ageing Better to set out principles for how to most effectively support people in later life to contribute their time, skills, and experience to their communities will be published.

Mims Davies: The government is fully committed to the Civil Society Strategy: it is the beginning of an ambitious, evolving work programme to help build a strong society. As part of this, the Centre for Ageing Better published its ‘Review of Community Contributions in Later life’ on 18th October 2018. Based on the findings of this review, DCMS is now working in partnership with the Centre for Ageing Better on the Age-Friendly and Inclusive Volunteering Fund announced in November 2018, to stimulate and test new approaches to sustain lifelong contribution. Successful grantees will be announced in March 2019.

Video Games

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to support the UK video games industry.

Margot James: The video games industry is a great success story and we are committed to promoting its growth. Companies in the sector have received £230 million from the UK’s video games tax relief since its introduction in 2014, supporting 480 video games productions that together account for over £1 billion investment in the UK. The UK Games Fund, launched in 2015 with £4 million DCMS support, has further helped 75 businesses and 170 graduates, and has been provided with an additional £1.7 million from government to extend the fund to 2020. The Creative Industries Sector Deal, published in 2018, also includes a Creative Scale-Up Programme piloting support for early stage creative businesses operating in Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and the West of England. The programme is designed to make creative businesses - including games start-ups - better placed to access finance through a programme of intensive business support and investor eco-system development.

Third Sector

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 112 of the Civil Society Strategy published in August 2018, whether his Department has provided training for central government commercial buyers in how to take account of social value in commissioning and procurement.

Mims Davies: DCMS is working closely with the Cabinet Office to implement a package of measures for the future of social value and procurement, including training for government commercial staff. We have consulted with stakeholders to inform this training and will undertake further engagement in February. We anticipate the training programme to roll out later this year. We have already published an introductory guide to social value that we continue to actively promote across government and to stakeholders. The Commissioning Academy also continues to bring together public sector decision makers to learn about commissioning and public service transformation, including social value in commissioning and procurement.

Third Sector

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 112 of the Civil Society Strategy published in August 2018, when his Department plans to publish a guide to selling to government for voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations, including social value.

Mims Davies: The guide for voluntary community, and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs) bidding for government contracts is currently undergoing final checks. We anticipate publishing this document shortly. DCMS officials have been working with the Cabinet Office on this guidance that will provide practical information for VCSEs bidding for government contracts, and aims to promote a healthy and diverse marketplace of organisations working with government.

Third Sector

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 112 of the Civil Society Strategy, published in August 2018, whether The Crown Representative has undertaken an awareness campaign to encourage use of Contracts Finder and Mystery Shopper services to promote early engagement and co-design and to hold authorities to account for poor practice.

Mims Davies: The Crown Representative for voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs) continues to actively promote with stakeholders the use of both Contracts Finder and the Public Procurement Review Service (formerly known as the Mystery Shopper service). This is part of wider work by The Crown Representative to support VCSEs by promoting them in both commissioner and supplier communities, seeking more diversification in public service markets, and encouraging more effective use of the Social Value Act.

5G: West Midlands Combined Authority

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he expects to release money to the West Midlands Combined Authority to begin the roll out of 5G.

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much Government funding has been released to the West Midlands Combined Authority to support the roll out of 5G.

Margot James: The Urban Connected Communities (UCC) Project, part of the Government’s 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme, is a research and innovation project to trial new 5G technology, services and applications for the public sector, industry and citizens. The Department will make £25 million of funding available over three years, subject to business case approval, for projects within UCC matched with investment from the local public sector and private sector. There is potential for the Department to make available up to an additional £25m over the same time period. The project is in a mobilisation stage of work, which the Department is co-funding with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). To date, the Department has approved grants of £500K to WMCA, of which £168,600 has been drawn down, WMCA has matched this.

5G: West Midlands Combined Authority

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what threshold cost-to-benefit ratio of the West Midlands Combined Authority 5G roll out proposal is required for his Department to release funding for that proposal.

Margot James: The Urban Connected Communities (UCC) Project, part of the Government’s 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme, is a research and innovation project to trial new 5G technology, services and applications for the public sector, industry and citizens. The project is in a mobilisation stage of work. Arrangements for the Department to co-fund projects within UCC are in development. These are planned to include business cases, of which the economic case will be part.

European Network and Information Security Agency

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the EU has provided assurances that the UK will continue to be able to participate in the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Margot James: The Political Declaration includes a commitment by both parties, subject to the conclusion of a Union agreement, that the UK will continue to participate in relevant activities of ENISA. This commitment recognises the need to promote security and stability in cyberspace through increased international cooperation. In the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the UK still recognises this need. The EU similarly recognises the importance of international cooperation in the new ‘EU Cybersecurity Act’ where it notes that 'There is a need for closer international cooperation…’ and ‘..to that end, the Agency should support further Union involvement and cooperation with third countries’.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Climate Change Convention

Dr Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish his application to host COP26 in 2020.

Claire Perry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion on 28th January 2019 to Question 211255.

Energy: Subsidies

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the total amount of public subsidy made available by Government for (a) renewables and (b) fossil fuels in each year for which data is available.

Claire Perry: Since 2010, the Government has invested £30.7 billion in renewable electricity technologies. The table below shows how much was invested in each year, through the Renewable Obligation (RO), Feed-in Tariff (FITs) and Contracts for Difference (CfD) schemes: Cost (£m)2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/162016/172017/18Total over periodRO1,2851,4581,9912,5993,1143,7434,5115,371 FiTs141515066918661,1101,2841,375 CfDs92544 CfD (admin)1213 Total1,3001,6082,4983,2903,9804,8535,8987,30430,731 Renewables spending covered under the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme is published monthly and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rhi-mechanism-for-budget-management-estimated-commitments.The UK has no fossil fuel subsidies. We’re firmly committed to tackling climate change by using renewables, storage, interconnectors, new nuclear and more to deliver a secure and dynamic energy market at the least possible cost for consumers.

Iron and Steel

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the UK steel sector of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Richard Harrington: The Government wants a smooth and orderly exit from the EU, with a deal that protects our union, gives us control of our borders, laws and money, and means that we have an independent trade policy. On 28th November 2018 the Government laid before Parliament the following document intended to facilitate parliamentary scrutiny ahead of the Meaningful Vote on the final deal: “EU Exit: Long-term economic analysis”. This has been published on GOV.UK. The Government has therefore delivered on its commitment to provide Parliament with a robust, objective assessment of how exiting the EU may affect the economy of the UK, sectors (including steel), nations and regions in the long run. The Department has and will continue to undertake extensive stakeholder engagement to understand the implications of the impacts of different no deal scenarios on different sectors including the steel sector.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Brexit

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2019 to Question 207549 on Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Brexit, how much of the £375 million allocated to his Department for Brexit preparations in 2018-19 and 2019-20 has been allocated to preparing for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Richard Harrington: HM Treasury has allocated over £4.2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as: £412m of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016. £286m of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf.) Over £1.5bn of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of the allocations can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, made on the 13th March, 2018:(https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/) Over £2bn of additional funding for 19/20. A full breakdown of the allocations can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS1205, made on the 18th December, 2018: (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-12-18/HCWS1205/) In the financial year 2018/19, BEIS was allocated an additional £185.1m for EU exit work by HM Treasury. The equivalent figure for 2019/20 is £190m. No-deal funding is aggregated as part of the Department’s overall spend and therefore cannot be reported separately.

Telecommunications: National Security

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to page 39 of the Government white paper entitled National Security and Investment, published in June 2018, whether the proposed Government powers will permit the exclusion of a company supplying UK telecoms critical national infrastructure with equipment on national security grounds.

Richard Harrington: The proposed regime described in the National Security and Investment White Paper will ensure that we have the right powers to protect national security from hostile actors using ownership of, or influence over, businesses and assets to harm the country. The proposed regime is not designed to enable the Government to intervene in existing relationships between suppliers. The Government does however have a comprehensive range of powers to protect national security. In addition, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is leading a cross-government review into the supply chain arrangements for the UK’s telecoms infrastructure. The review will consider the full UK market position, including economic prosperity, corporate and consumer effects, and quality, resilience and security standards of equipment.

Companies: National Security

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to page 39 of the Government white paper entitled National Security and Investment, published in June 2018, who he plans to consult when determining whether to exclude a company on national security grounds.

Richard Harrington: The proposed regime described in the National Security and Investment White Paper, would require the Minister to take in account all relevant considerations when making a decision. This will include consulting other departments, where relevant, to enable an informed decision to be made.

Innovation and Science

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2018 to Question 203356 on Innovation and Science, what the reason is for the delay in publication of the third wave of Science and Innovation Audits.

Chris Skidmore: The wave three reports were completed in late summer and the consortia are already using them, for example in helping to develop the Local Industrial Strategies. They will be published in due course.

Insolvency

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of personal insolvencies in each local authority area in the UK in each year since 2014.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Insolvency Service produces official statistics covering individual insolvencies by local authority area for each calendar year for England and Wales: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/individual-insolvencies-by-location-age-and-gender-england-and-wales-2017The Accountant in Bankruptcy produces statistics covering individual insolvencies by local authority area for each financial year for Scotland: https://aib.gov.uk/about-aib/statistics-data/debt-solutions-local-authorityNo statistics are available relating to individual insolvencies by local authority area in Northern Ireland.

Early Day Motions

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish a response to Early Day Motion 66 entitled Applying results of experiments on animals to human patients.

Chris Skidmore: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Non-domestic Rates

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities to expand the business rate base in deprived communities.

Rishi Sunak: In 2020/21 the Government aims to increase local government’s retention of business rates from 50 per cent to 75 per cent. As local authorities will retain more business rates, individual local authorities will also be able to keep a bigger share of growth in their business rates. This will provide an incentive for all local authorities to grow their business rates.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Brexit

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2019 to Question 207561 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Brexit, for what reason his Department does not hold data on funding allocated to preparing for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Jake Berry: Officials working on EU Exit are preparing for all scenarios, whether as part of their regular duties or within EU Exit teams. We are therefore unable to disaggregate the cost of preparing for a no deal scenario from other EU exit and business as usual work.On 28 January, I announced via Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS1279) an additional £56.5 million to help councils carry out their preparations. This funding is to support preparation for all scenarios.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to give Metro Mayors a formal role in the (a) design and (b) delivery of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if the Government will make it its policy to make funding for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund available at the same level as EU Structural Fund spending after the UK leaves the EU.

Jake Berry: I met with the Metro Mayors on the 22 January and will carry on this engagement throughout the year.We intend to consult shortly on the design of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Final decisions on UK Shared Prosperity Fund will be made during Spending Review.

Buildings: Insulation

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2019 to Question 210599, on Buildings: Insulation, how his Department categorised the other 884 samples.

Kit Malthouse: The samples have been categorised by the Building Research Establishment with a generic system description and additional information including composition, whether it is made of a singular component or several components, whether the components are bonded or not, the number of layers, thickness and colour.

Council Tax

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will increase funding to councils to support the provision of council tax support.

Rishi Sunak: Councils are responsible for designing schemes that deliver an appropriate level of council tax support that reflect the circumstances in their area. Funding for local council tax support is provided, unringfenced, through the local government finance settlement. Councils will have access to £46.4 billion of funding next year – a 2.8 per cent increase from 2018-19.

Community Housing Fund

James Cartlidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to extend the Community Housing Fund beyond 2020.

Kit Malthouse: The Community Housing Fund is currently scheduled to close on 31 March 2020 – the end of the current Spending Review period. Decisions on funding for 2020-21 onwards are a matter for the Spending Review, which will take place this year.

Buildings: Insulation

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has commissioned BS 8414 large-scale tests on samples of non-Aluminium Composite Materials from the Building Research Establishment.

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the further testing to check the fire safety of building materials that his Department is commissioning with the Building Research Establishment will include a large-scale test on standard high-pressure laminate cladding and plastic foam insulation.

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the further testing to check the fire safety of building materials that his Department is commissioning with the Building Research Establishment will include a large-scale test on fire retardant high-pressure laminate cladding and plastic foam insulation.

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the further testing to check the fire safety of building materials his Department is commissioning with the Building Research Establishment will include a large-scale test on zinc composite material cladding with a polyethylene core and plastic foam insulation.

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the further testing to check the fire safety of building materials his Department is commissioning with the Building Research Establishment will include a large-scale test on external wall insulation incorporating Expanded Polystyrene insulation.

Kit Malthouse: The Department, acting on advice from the Independent Expert Advisory Panel, has commissioned the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to research the fire performance of a number of different non-Aluminium Composite Material cladding systems.The BRE has developed a bespoke test methodology for this programme rather than use the BS 8414 test methodology which is designed to test the entire wall systems. The test programme will focus mainly on the fire performance of the external panel (including any core or filler in composite materials) of a cladding system rather than the thermal insulation and the programme will include testing of a High Pressure Laminate (HPL) panel and zinc composite material panel. Separately, the Department is preparing to commission a BS 8414 test of a whole wall system which will include a High Pressure Laminate (HPL) panel.The Department will consider in the light of the findings of the research, and with the advice of the Independent Expert Panel, whether any further action is necessary.

Regeneration: Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the amount of UK Government funding allocated for regeneration in (a) steel communities, (b) coal communities and (c) coastal communities in each of the last six years.

Jake Berry: Holding answer received on 04 February 2019



a) £192 millionb) £30 millionc) 145.65 million

Housing: Domestic Abuse

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of victims of domestic abuse entering (a) refuges, (b) temporary accommodation and (c) homelessness in each year since 2013.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: We are overhauling the statutory homelessness data collection alongside the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act. This will give us better insights into the causes of homelessness and the support people need, including where someone is accepted as homeless because they were vulnerable as a result of having fled their home because of domestic violence or the threat of domestic violence, alongside other reasons for acceptance.Since 2015 we have also provided over £1 million to Women’s Aid for two projects, Routes to Support and No Woman Turned Away. Routes to Support (formerly UK Refuges Online) is part-funded by the Government and is a UK-wide online database containing information about domestic abuse and other violence against women services, including refuge. No Woman Turned Away provides additional caseworker support to women facing difficulties in accessing refuge, including victims with children. We are continuing to fund these vital projects to 2020.The Department does not hold information on the number of victims of domestic abuse entering refuges, temporary accommodation and homelessness in each year since 2013.However, we do hold data for the numbers of households who have been accepted as owed a homelessness duty, where the main reason for the loss of a last settled home was due to a violent relationship breakdown with a partner. Please find a table with a breakdown of figures for the financial years 2012/13 to 2017/18 below.YearHouseholds found to be eligible for assistance, whose reason for loss of last settled home is due to violent relationship breakdown with their partner2012/136,5402013/146,1402014/156,6602015/166,5502016/176,6502017/186,810 Domestic abuse is a devastating crime that nobody should have to suffer. Supporting victims of domestic abuse is an absolute priority for this Government. Councils have a legal duty to provide accommodation to families and others who are vulnerable as a result of fleeing domestic abuse. The Homelessness Reduction Act requires councils to take reasonable steps for all eligible households who are homeless, to help them secure accommodation.These statistics are available for each local authority area, and previous years at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness.

Homelessness: Domestic Abuse

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of victims of domestic abuse who are (a) homeless and (b) sleeping rough in (i) London and (ii) England.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Domestic abuse is a devastating crime that nobody should have to suffer. Supporting victims of domestic abuse is an absolute priority for this Government. Councils have a legal duty to provide accommodation to families and others who are vulnerable as a result of fleeing domestic abuse. The Homelessness Reduction Act requires councils to take reasonable steps for all eligible households who are homeless, to help them secure accommodation. We have overhauled the statutory homelessness data collection alongside the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act. This will give us better insights into the causes of homelessness and the support people need, including where someone is accepted as homeless because they were vulnerable as a result of having fled their home because of domestic violence or the threat of domestic violence, alongside other reasons for acceptance. The Department does not hold information on the number of victims of domestic abuse who have slept rough or are homeless in London and England. However, we do hold data for the numbers of households who have been accepted as owed a homelessness duty, where the main reason for the loss of a last settled home was due to a violent relationship breakdown with a partner. These statistics are available for each local authority area, and previous years at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness#statutory-homelessness-live-tables. London’s Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN), a multi-agency database recording information about rough sleepers and the wider street population in London, records new rough sleepers' reasons for leaving their last settled base prior to first being seen rough sleeping. In 2017/18, 90 people left their last settled base because they were a victim of violence, harassment or abuse. These statistics are available at:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/chain-reports.

Domestic Abuse: Victim Support Schemes

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the section 2.2.2 of the draft Domestic Abuse Bill, when his Department plans to report on its review into local commissioning of domestic abuse services.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: As referenced in Section 2.2.2 of the Government’s Transforming the Response to Domestic Abuse: Consultation Response and Draft Bill, my department has carried out a full review of the funding and commissioning of domestic abuse services in England, available at; (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-abuse-consultation-response-and-draft-bill). This has been informed by engagement with domestic abuse organisations and local authorities, as well as an audit, run by Ipsos MORI, of provision of domestic abuse services across England.We continue to work with the Domestic Abuse Sector and local authorities, drawing on their expertise and data, as we develop future, sustainable delivery of support to victims of domestic abuse and their children in a range of safe accommodation based services.I will be reporting on the outcomes of the review soon. Following our work with Ipsos MORI and academics to review the findings from the audit, a report will be published in due course.

Housing: Domestic Abuse

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to section 2.2.3 of the draft Domestic Abuse Bill, what the timetable and scope will be of the Whole Housing Partnership Project pilot.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: I am pleased to confirm that the Whole Housing Partnership Project was one of the 63 successful projects to receive a share of my Department’s £22 million fund for Domestic Abuse Services. It has been awarded £1,478,000 to cover the 2018-20 period. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/22-million-for-projects-to-support-domestic-abuse-survivors.Westminster City Council’s partnership bid will deliver individual support to victims and their children in a range of safe accommodation, including private housing, social housing, and refuges, across two geographical areas; the Tri-boroughs of London (Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham) and the seven District and City Councils from Cambridgeshire.

Buildings: Insulation

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the recommendations on improving fire safety tests made by the Association of British Insurers will be incorporated into any future test his Department commissions the Building Research Establishment to undertake to check the fire safety of building materials.

Kit Malthouse: The Department remains of the view, advised by the Independent Expert Advisory Panel, that the BS 8414 test is robust. Changes to the BS 8414 method are a matter for the British Standards Institution (BSI) to consider. The Department understands that BSI is reviewing the BS 8414 methodology including taking account of the issues raised by the Association of British Insurers.

New Monks Farm: Construction

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2019 to Question 205785 on New Monks Farm: Construction, whether he has issued a holding direction to delay Adur District Council's granting of planning permission for the Monks Farm development; and what the timeframe is for determining whether to call in that decision.

Kit Malthouse: Adur District Council have referred planning application AWDM/0961/17 to the Secretary of State under the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009. Adur Council have agreed not to issue a planning notice while the Secretary of State's consideration is ongoing, and a holding direction has not been issued.A decision will be issued to Adur District Council as soon as possible.

Private Rented Housing: Housing Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2019 to Question 211667 on private rented housing: housing benefit, how many local authorities in the Liverpool City Region have imposed fines of £30,000.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: MHCLG does not require local authorities to report the number of fines brought against private landlords.

Ministry of Defence

Service Complaints Ombudsman

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2018 to Question 196768 and with reference to his letter of 15 January 2019, what the average time for a case submitted to the Service Complaints Ombudsman to be left unallocated is; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2018 to Question 196768 and his letter dated 15 January, what target time is set for the Service Complaints Ombudsman to process a service complaint; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces has two different target times for investigation. The target for maladministration and/or substance investigations is 100 working days (20 weeks) and for admissibility and undue delay investigations it is 17 working days (3.5 weeks). These timeframes begin once the case has been allocated to an investigator. Further details are available on the Ombudsman's website:www.scoaf.org.uk/how-can-we-help-you/long-will-take/.It will take time to collate the information requested on the average time that a case submitted to the Service Complaints Ombudsman is unallocated. I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

Armed Forces: Professional Organisations

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to create of an Armed Forces Association for service personnel and veterans.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence has no plans to create an Armed Forces Association.I am satisfied that the interests of members of the Armed Forces as employees are suitably represented by the Chain of Command, SSAFA - the Armed Forces Charity, the Royal Naval Association, the Royal Air Force Association, the Veterans Association and a great many more Regimental Associations and groups around the country. Many of these associations also represent the veterans' community. Along with the various Service-facing charities, the above-mentioned associations will all have regular access to the Chain of Command and Ministers to represent their members' interests.

Ministry of Defence: Overseas Aid

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much money spent by his Department has been counted as UK aid spending; and what programmes that money has been allocated to within his Department.

Gavin Williamson: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Defence: Brexit

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff have been appointed to prepare his Department for the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and how much has been spent on such preparations to date.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence currently has a small central team of 12 civil servants who deal exclusively with Defence issues relating to the UK's decision to leave the EU.This central team draws on subject matter experts across the Department.The Ministry of Defence continually reviews workforce plans and reprioritises as necessary.To date, a total of 28 military planners have been posted to other Whitehall Departments to assist with contingency planning for leaving the EU. Military planners offer unique skills and operational planning experience and will be involved in a variety of tasks tailored to the needs of the requesting Department. Staff across the Department are integrating ongoing contingency planning into their day-to-day work in recognition of the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.At the Autumn Budget 2017, the Chancellor of the Exchequer committed £3 billion over the next two financial years to helping Departments and the Devolved Administrations to prepare.HM Treasury allocated £12m of EU Exit funding to the Ministry of Defence for 2018/19. This will fund the administrative, legal and infrastructure requirements for Defence of leaving the EU, including for our bases and people in Europe. It also includes funds to preserve three Offshore Patrol Vessels for the security and enforcement of UK waters and fisheries. The breakdown of this funding will be confirmed within the Supplementary Estimates 2019/20 in early 2020.

Ministry of Defence: Public Expenditure

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using multi-annual spending plans instead of annual budgets.

Gavin Williamson: The Department maintains a 10-year plan of activity and spending intended to deliver the Government's strategic direction. These plans are typically developed in the context of a multi-year financial settlement and longer-term planning assumptions agreed with Her Majesty's Treasury. The Department allocates indicative budgets across business areas over 10-years as the basis for planning. These plans are reviewed and adjusted annually as part of the Annual Budget Cycle process, which also confirms the budget settlement for each business area for the start of each financial year. More significant changes in plans are typically limited to significant fiscal or policy events such as a spending review. This approach of annual reviews of plans allows the Department to respond dynamically to emerging risks to delivery against strategic direction or financial pressures.

Royal Tank Regiment: Death

Martin Docherty-Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2019 to Question 208873 on Royal Tank Regiment: Death, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's response to HM Senior Coroner for Birmingham and Solihull.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: I attach a copy of the Ministry of Defence's response to the Prevention of Future Deaths Report issued by HM Senior Coroner for Birmingham and Solihull and dated 27 September 2018.This response has also been been provided to the Chief Coroner who will publish it on his website in due course. The website can be accessed via this link:https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/matthew-hatfield.You may wish to note that the Prevention of Future Deaths Report was jointly placed on the Ministry of Defence and BAe Systems. You may wish to ask BAe Systems for their response to the Prevention of Future Deaths Report to obtain the comprehensive picture.I will place a copy of the document in the Library of the House.



Royal Tank Regiment: Death; MOD response
(PDF Document, 375.66 KB)

Ecuador: Military Aid

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military training the UK has provided to the armed forces of Ecuador since 2014; and what plans his Department has to provide military training to the armed forces of Ecuador in the future.

Mark Lancaster: According to our records, the Ministry of Defence has not provided any military training to the armed forces of Ecuador since 2014 and currently has no plans to do so.

European Fighter Aircraft: Safety Measures

Douglas Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2019 to Question 206022 on European Aircraft: safety measures, how the mandatory requirement, based on industrial standards and internationally agreed definitions, for the Typhoon aircraft to be compliant with Part 13 sub paragraph 1.1.9.1 of MAA/Def Stan 00-970 (Aircraft Collision Avoidance System) is satisfied.

Stuart Andrew: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 15 January 2019 to Question 206022 and to the answer I gave him on 9 November 2018 to question 189831.



206022-European Fighter Aircraft: Safety measures
(Word Document, 21.95 KB)




189831-European Fighter Aircraft: Safety measures
(Word Document, 21.95 KB)

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft: Safety Measures

Douglas Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the mandatory requirement, based on industrial standards and internationally agreed definitions, for the F35 Lightening aircraft to be compliant with Part 13 sub paragraph 1.1.9.1 of MAA/Def Stan 00-970 (Aircraft Collision Avoidance System) is satisfied.

Stuart Andrew: The safety of the F-35 air system is a primary requirement for the UK programme. At the time the F-35 undertook initial certification with the Military Aviation Authority, Def Stan 00-970 Part 13, sub-para 1.1.9.1 was not applicable. The UK is, however, working with the US to develop an automated Air Collision Avoidance System for the F-35. Prior to this integration, we remain fully confident that the F-35's advanced situational awareness enables it to operate safely.

Army: Officers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many female officers are there in the British Army.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: As at 1 October 2018 there were 1,560 female officers in the British Army. A detailed breakdown of the Armed Forces by gender can be found in Table 1 of the UK Armed Forces Biannual Diversity Statistics at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-biannual-diversity-statistics-2018

Army: Deployment

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in how many countries the British Army has deployed troops on operations.

Mark Lancaster: In the month of January 2019 British Army personnel were deployed on, or in support of, operations in 31 countries.

Armed Forces: Doctors

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to encourage young doctors to join the armed forces.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The recruitment of doctors into the Armed Forces comes from two main streams. The first is those joining as students, in University or at a later point whilst they are still under training and are unaccredited. Recruiting at an early stage affords an opportunity to embed an understanding of the different service environments.Armed Forces recruitment organisations are focused on attracting medical personnel. For doctors this includes briefings at all of the UK's Medical Schools and regular publicity in professional journals. Financial support to medical students in their final three years at University, via a salary or bursary scheme, provides a significant financial incentive, and guarantees a minimum period of service after graduation.The second stream is direct entrants who join the Armed Forces as accredited General Practitioners (GPs) or Consultants. A 'golden hello' of £50,000 is available to incentivise recruitment in shortfall specialties, filling capability gaps that would otherwise take many years to fill, due to the long training pathway.The recruitment of doctors into the Reserves is focussed at those who are already accredited or are specialty trainees, but junior doctors are also encouraged to join. The Ministry of Defence works closely with the National Health Service at national and trust level to ensure a positive environment for Reserve recruitment.

Arctic: Defence

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to publish the Defence Arctic Strategy.

Mark Lancaster: The Defence Arctic Strategy is due to be published in the spring.

HMS Mersey: English Channel

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2019 to Question 205862 on HMS Mersey: English Channel, whether he has received confirmation from the Home Office that they will be funding the cost of HMS Mersey's deployment to the English Channel.

Mark Lancaster: In accordance with the Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) and Her Majesty's Treasury Rules laid out in 'Managing Public Money', the Home Office agreed to fund the military assistance provided to Border Force to address the increase in migrant activity in the English Channel. This was confirmed through correspondence on 3 January 2019.

General Electric: Rugby

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on (a) the Royal Navy and (b) the manufacture of the Type 26 frigate of General Electric's proposed relocation of its works from Rugby to France.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for national security of the proposed relocation of some GE operations from Rugby to France.

Stuart Andrew: I refer the hon.Member to the answer I gave on 24 January 2019 to Question 210541 to the hon.Member for Llanelli (Ms Nia Griffith).



General Electric: Rugby
(Word Document, 26.96 KB)

Chinook Helicopters: Accidents

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2019 to Question 211684 on Chinook Helicopters: Accidents, whether the Government has preserved records relating to the crash of the RAF helicopter Chinook that were closed between the date of the accident on 2 June 1994 and 1995.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Ministry of Defence records relating to the crash of the RAF helicopter Chinook that were closed between the date of the accident on 2 June 1994 and 1995 have been preserved.

Veterans: Charities

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of sharing details of servicemen and servicewomen leaving the armed forces with veterans charities.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) ensures that when Regular Armed Forces personnel leave Service they are well supported to translate their acquired skills, experience and qualifications into their next career in civilian life. The skills Service Leavers possess are in demand from UK employers who recognise the benefits of bringing this talent into their organisations. The vast majority of Service Leavers make a smooth transition from military to civilian life and do not require the support of Third Sector Organisations (TSOs). The Ministry of Defence has no plans to share the personal details of all Service Leavers with Third Sector Organisations (TSOs). Systematically sharing Service Leavers’ data with TSOs would be a breach of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and, even if done with consent, would present a very significant administrative burden to TSOs as around 15,000 Service personnel leave the Regular Armed Forces each year. Service Leavers potentially requiring support are referred to the MOD’s Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) who can provide relevant signposting to TSO support. The VWS works collaboratively with a range of statutory and voluntary agencies on individual casework in supporting veterans. Referrals are routinely made to a range of organisations, including ex-Service charities, but only with the express consent of the individuals, with only the appropriate levels of information being provided within the referral, in line with GDPR policy.

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Sikhs

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many Sikhs are employed in his Department; and whether they are recorded as (a) an ethnic or (b) a religious group.

George Hollingbery: There are 24 members of staff in the Department for International Trade (including UK Export Finance (UKEF)) who have self-reported as Sikh (as at 31 December 2018) on departmental systems. The Department records Sikhism as a religion.

Department for International Trade: Brexit

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, (a) how many staff have been appointed to prepare and (b) what the cost to the public purse has been of preparing his Department for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

George Hollingbery: The Department of International Trade was created as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. Individual roles are not classified according to particular EU Exit scenarios, including leaving without a deal. The Department for International Trade integrates scenario planning for EU exit into its overall programmes of work. ‘No deal’ planning is not undertaken by a distinct team and it is therefore not possible to separately identify the spend associated with the UK leaving the EU without a deal. HM Treasury has allocated over £4.2 billion of additional funding to departments and the devolved administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This includes the £1.5 billion of additional funding HM Treasury announced in the Autumn Budget for 2018/19. A full breakdown of how this has been allocated to departments can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on the 13th March (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/). This money will be reflected in the January Supplementary Estimates.

Trade Agreements

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he has plans to introduce legislative proposals for the Parliamentary oversight of new trade agreements.

George Hollingbery: The Government is committed to a transparent and inclusive trade policy. In July 2017, the Secretary of State for International Trade set out proposals for Parliament’s role in scrutinising the government’s proposals for new trade deals. This included commitments that Parliament would have the opportunity to consider the Government’s approach to negotiations and receive regular updates throughout negotiations, as well as playing a role in the ratification of trade agreements through the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. Any legislation required to implement a future trade agreement will also be subject to the scrutiny and agreement of Parliament. My Department is continuing to consider the role Parliament will play in future trade negotiations, including considering the views of the International Trade Committee as set out in their report on this issue on 28 December 2018, as well as the views that have been expressed by other Committees and members of both Houses. The Government will be bringing forward proposals shortly.

Overseas Trade

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the UK's international trade.

George Hollingbery: For the first time in more than four decades, the UK will have an independent trade policy once we exit from the EU.We will deploy all the tools at our disposal and tailor our trade policy to the strengths and requirements of the UK economy. We are preparing for an ambitious programme of trade negotiations and enhanced market access, while seeking continuity for our existing EU free trade agreements. We have consulted on our first four potential FTAs, with Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Our independent trade policy is reinforced by the Government’s Export Strategy, which set the ambition that exports reach 35 percent of GDP through encouraging, informing, connecting and helping to finance businesses with the potential to export. We also aim to remain the principal FDI destination in Europe, an ambition supported by the High Potential Opportunities, a programme of intensive support connecting international investment to globally competitive projects in the UK regions.  The Government’s report “EU Exit: Long term economic analysis” considers illustrative scenarios for future trade deals with new partners after exiting the EU. The Government has committed to publishing Scoping Assessments prior to launching negotiations on new free trade agreements. We will then publish an impact assessment of any concluded agreement prior to ratification.

Trade Agreements: USA

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on a future trade deal with the US of maintaining the (a) common rulebook and (b) common external tariff with the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

George Hollingbery: “Negotiating a free trade deal with the US is a high priority for the Government after we have left the EU. Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration the UK would have scope to negotiate an ambitious agreement with the US. We would have an independent trade policy covering goods and services and we would be able to set our own tariffs. The Government has committed to publishing a scoping assessment prior to launching negotiations – presenting the potential economic impacts of a trade deal with the US.”

Iron and Steel: EU External Trade

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of EU measures to limit imports of steel into the EU in response to the imposition of metal tariffs by the United States; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the UK steel industry of being excluded from those measures after the UK leaves the EU.

George Hollingbery: The EU measures and tariff rate quotas are designed to prevent serious injury occurring to EU steel producers while maintaining as far as possible traditional trade flows. The level of utilisation of the quotas varies by product category. It is too early to assess the effect of the measures on the UK steel industry.In the event that the UK leaves the EU with no deal, Government’s priority is to provide continuity for UK industry wherever possible. Our transition policy is therefore to ensure UK industry retains appropriate trade remedy protections on exit, and so we are committed to carrying across existing measures where there is a UK interest, and then reviewing them to make them UK specific. We will follow this approach for any definitive safeguard measures that are in place on exit, as well as for existing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures.

Iron and Steel: EU External Trade

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what contingency plans his Department has made to ensure the maintenance of protections for UK steel producers introduced by the European Commission's definitive safeguard measures on imports of certain steel products, published on 16 January 2019 in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

George Hollingbery: In the event that the UK leaves the EU with no deal, Government’s priority is to provide continuity for UK industry wherever possible. Our transition policy is therefore to ensure UK industry retains appropriate trade remedy protections on exit, and so we are committed to carrying across existing measures where there is a UK interest, and then reviewing them to make them UK specific. We will follow this approach for any definitive safeguard measures that are in place on exit, as well as for existing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures.

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many arms licences have been (a) granted and (b) refused to Saudi Arabia since 9 August 2018.

Graham Stuart: All export licence applications are considered on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. The Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) on export licences granted and refused on GOV.UK and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data Currently this includes information up to 30 September 2018. Information covering 1 October to 31 December 2018 will be published on 16 April 2019 and information covering 1 January 2019 to 31 March 2019 will be published in July 2019.

Women and Equalities

Civil Partnerships: Heterosexuality

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals on extending civil partnerships to heterosexual couples.

Victoria Atkins: The government remains committed to extending civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples, and is supporting the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc.) Private Members Bill. We are considering with the Bill’s sponsors how best this could be used to extend civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples.

Government Equalities Office: Trade Associations

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, which regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which her Department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations; and if she will make a statement.

Victoria Atkins: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) does not itself undertake any regulatory functions imposed by legislation. The GEO is responsible for the Equality Act 2006, which imposes regulatory functions on the Equality and Human Rights Commission. None of these functions are currently undertaken by trade associations.

Department for Transport

Fuels

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to increase the use of carbon neutral fuel through captured C02.

Jesse Norman: In 2018 the Government amended the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation so that transport fuels made using waste CO2 are eligible for reward, provided that sustainability and eligibility requirements are met. Those requirements include that all the input process energy used to make the fuel is from renewable sources, and that the fuel delivers significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the Department’s Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition (F4C) makes up to £20m of capital funding available to projects that will produce low carbon waste-based fuels for use in planes and lorries. Projects capable of producing fuels using waste CO2 were eligible to apply for F4C funding.

Road Traffic Control: West Sussex

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2019 to Question 206710 on Road Traffic Control: West Sussex, whether a Walking, Cycling and Horse-riding assessment, including stakeholder engagement, will be undertaken by staff that are independent of the design team.

Jesse Norman: It is a requirement of Walking, Cycling and Horse Riding Assessments and Reviews that the lead assessor should be part of the design team and not independent of it.

Railway Stations: Lancashire

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with unions representing rail staff on safeguarding (a) staff and (b) passengers at stations between Blackpool North and South and Preston.

Andrew Jones: The question is a matter between Northern, its employees and their union representative in which the Government cannot intervene directly. However, the Government has written to the Rail North Partnership (through which the Department and Transport for the North co-manage the Northern franchise) expressing our clear support for a second member of staff on Northern trains who is focused on delivering excellent customer service. Northern have now confirmed to the RMT that there will continue to be a second appropriately trained member of staff on board the trains, and have guaranteed jobs and pay will be protected. The Government continues to call on both parties to engage in talks and resolve the dispute.

Road Traffic Control: West Sussex

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2019 to Question 20610 on Road Traffic Control: West Sussex, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to prevent a scheme from going ahead in the event that the WCHAR's findings indicate that it contravenes these policies or design standards.

Jesse Norman: The Secretary of State for Transport has not had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding prevention of a scheme going ahead if the Walking, Cycling and Horse-riding Assessment findings indicate it contravenes these policies or design standards.The Secretary of State for Transport would expect that any scheme would comply with the relevant policies and design standards unless there were very good reasons for it not to do so.

Department for Transport: Brexit

Mr David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on laying statutory instruments relating to EU exit preparedness; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Government has made good progress in laying the statutory instruments required by exit day to ensure a functioning statute book. As of 30 January, my Department has laid 48 exit related statutory instruments. All exit related statutory instruments are published on legislation.gov.uk, and include ‘EU Exit’ in their title.

Transport: Infrastructure

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding (a) in total and (b) per head of population has been allocated to transport infrastructure in each region in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jesse Norman: Figures on public sector expenditure at a regional level are part of the Government’s Country and Regional Analysis (CRA) statistics. The latest CRA statistics, published by HM Treasury on 20th November 2018, include total public expenditure on transport per capita on a regional basis from 2013-14 up to 2017-18, and are published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/country-and-regional-analysis. The statistics include spend on transport by all public sector organisations including the Department for Transport, Local Authorities, Public Corporations (in the case of transport, this is mainly spend by London Underground) and other Government Departments including devolved administrations. When comparing expenditure across regions a number of factors should be considered. For example, when expenditure is presented on a “per head of population”(or “per capita”) basis, it does not account for the pressure that large numbers of commuters and visitors from outside of a region can add to the transport networks. In addition, larger built-up areas tend to make greater use of mass public transport systems, though these will generate fares income which contributes to their operating costs. Statistics for public sector capital expenditure by region are given in Table 1 below. Table 2 provides the equivalent statistics per capita. Capital expenditure has been used as a proxy for spending on infrastructure specifically, but may include some capital investment beyond transport infrastructure projects. Table 1: Capital spending on all transport, by all public sector bodies (£millions nominal)Region2013-142014-152015-1612016-172017-18East of England1,0341,1761,4101,4271,842East Midlands597746795664743London4,0224,5495,3355,7706,519North East323406521512512North West1,1361,3931,8241,8072,930South East1,4321,5421,9682,1212,188South West6628031,0111,1691,110West Midlands8041,0871,3291,3111,783Yorkshire and the Humber8741,0841,3351,1291,009Northern Ireland242261162310295Scotland1,3451,4591,4731,7171,986Wales556578657617687  Table 2: Capital spending, on all transport, by all public sector bodies, per capita (£s nominal)Region2013-142014-152015-1612016-172017-18East of England174195232233299East Midlands130161170140156London478533616658739North East124155198194194North West160195254250404South East163174220235241South West123148185212200West Midlands142190231226304Yorkshire and the Humber164202248208185Northern Ireland13214287166158Scotland253273274318366Wales180187212198220 1Due to the reclassification of Network Rail into the public sector from 2015-16, care should be taken when making historical comparisons.Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/country-and-regional-analysis-2017 Total capital expenditure is prone to large year-on-year fluctuations as major projects are completed and funding to new projects begins. Large transport projects tend to require large sums of capital expenditure during construction, but deliver benefits for many years into the future. Consideration of this must be given when making year-on-year comparisons.

Department for Transport: Brexit

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2019 to Question 208748 on Department for Transport: Brexit, how much of the £101 million allocated to his Department for Brexit preparations in 2018-19 and 2019-20 has been allocated to preparing for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Chris Grayling: HM Treasury has allocated over £4.2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as:£412m of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016.£286m of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf.)Over £1.5bn of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of the allocations can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on the 13th March (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/)Over £2bn of additional funding for 19/20. A full breakdown of the allocations can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS1205, laid on the 18th December (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-12-18/HCWS1205/)This funding is in addition to my department’s efforts to reprioritise from business as usual toward preparations for the UK’s departure from the EU. Of the funding allocated from HM Treasury for the financial years 2018-19 and 2019-20, my Department has currently allocated £36.4m to prepare specifically for a no deal. As we further our preparations for EU Exit, we may allocate additional resources for no deal contingencies.

Roads: Freight

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of current preparations for the effect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on the road haulage sector.

Chris Grayling: The Department is undertaking a comprehensive and wide ranging programme of work to ensure we are prepared for numerous scenarios including, as a responsible Government, the UK leaving the EU without an agreement. The EU Commission has put forward a proposal on basic reciprocal market access for EU and UK hauliers which we have welcomed. If this was not secured then we are confident we would secure market access for hauliers through a combination of ECMT permits, bilateral agreements and unilateral arrangements. Such arrangements could also be used to supplement any EU-wide proposals on market access. We have also put in place plans on driver licensing, insurance, trailer registration and permit allocation to ensure UK hauliers can continue to operate in the event of a no deal.

Crossrail Line

Mr Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much compensation was paid to landowners and developers for delays in completing Crossrail in accordance with the contract timetable in (a) each compensation category and (b) total up to 31 December 2018; and what recent estimate he has made of the total compensation that will be paid to landowners and developers for the failure to deliver Crossrail in accordance with the contract timetable by the completion of the scheme.

Andrew Jones: The payment of compensation is a matter for Crossrail Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Transport for London, who conduct their affairs in accordance with the National Compensation Code. There have been no compensation payments paid to landowners and developers for delays in completing the Crossrail project to date. Where Crossrail Limited occupies land and worksites temporarily, it is exposed to the possibility of, as yet unquantifiable, additional compensation payments due to the occupation of sites being prolonged.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the viability of bringing forward to 2030 the target year for phasing out diesel and petrol-fuelled cars.

Jesse Norman: The Road to Zero sets out the Government’s long-term ambitions to clean up road transport, and the measures now in place to help industry and consumers to make the transition to electric vehicles. It was developed following extensive consultation with environmental groups, the automotive industry and academia. The Government believes its ambition for at least half of new cars and as many as 70% to be ultra low emission by 2030 strikes the right balance between conflicting environmental, industrial and consumer priorities. However, the Government is actively tracking market developments and will review progress towards our ambitions by 2025.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to reduce air pollutants from motor vehicle fumes.

Jesse Norman: The Road to Zero strategy sets out the actions being taken to reduce emissions in order to improve air quality. It includes details of the Real Driving Emissions legislation applying from September 2017, which limits vehicle emissions of both nitrogen oxides and particulates across a wide range of driving conditions. A further tightening of the Real Driving Emission legislation for nitrogen oxides from new cars will take effect from 1 January 2020.

Mid-Cheshire Railway Line

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the full delivery of the commitment to run two trains an hour between Mid-Cheshire and Manchester as set out in the current Northern Rail franchise agreement.

Andrew Jones: Parts of the rail network in and around the Manchester area are highly congested representing a challenge to the proposed service uplift. We continue to press the rail industry to develop a solution for delivering on this commitment.

Bus Services: Disability

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has held with bus companies on disability awareness training for all bus drivers.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Bus and coach operators must ensure that drivers subject to the EU Regulation 181/2011 requirement to complete disability awareness training receive appropriate instruction. As part of the 2018 annual bus statistics survey, we sought data on whether operators were compliant with these new duties, and we are considering the results published on the 30th January. We also intend to publish best practice guidance on disability awareness training in the spring. We are committed to developing a framework for the monitoring and enforcement of relevant training requirements, and continue to liaise with Regulators and the bus industry to ensure that operators understand fully their responsibilities.

Wolverhampton Station: Safety

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Wolverhampton train station has been accredited under the Secure Stations Scheme.

Andrew Jones: Wolverhampton Station has a valid accreditation under the Secure Stations Scheme.

Railways: North of England

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his most recent estimate is of the number of reported (a) cancellations and (b) delays on Northern Rail lines.

Andrew Jones: In the last full four week period for which data is published (from 9th December 2018 to 5th January 2019): The Cancellations and Significant Lateness (CASL) measure for Northern was 3.5% and since that date to 30th January was running at 1.9%. The Public Performance Measure (PPM) of trains on time delayed by less than five minutes was 82.4% and since that to 30th January was running at 87.4%. Whilst there is clearly much more to do, these represent marked improvements compared with the four weeks immediately preceding the timetable change on 9th December which were 4.9% CASL and 68.5% PPM.

Cycling and Motorcycles: Accidents

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the killed and seriously injured (KSI) rate per kilometre is for (a) bicycles and (b) powered two wheelers.

Jesse Norman: Rates of killed and seriously injured for pedal cyclists and motorcyclists per billion vehicle miles are published in tables RAS30065 and RAS30066 respectively, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/ras30-reported-casualties-in-road-accidents. Converted to billion vehicle kilometres, the rate was 722 for pedal cyclists and 1,335 for motorcyclists in Great Britain in 2017.

West Coast Main Line: Compensation

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people travelling between Liverpool and London on the West Coast Mainline in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18 have been eligible for delay repay refunds; and how many of those people have received such refunds.

Andrew Jones: The Department does not hold this information, however the Department does publish data on the total amount of compensation paid by train operating companies to passengers.

Virgin Trains: Compensation

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much (a) Network Rail and (b) his Department paid Virgin Trains during (i) 2016-17 and (ii) 2017-18 as compensation for late running train services on the West Coast Mainline between Liverpool and London.

Andrew Jones: Network Rail publishes data covering payments between Network Rail and Virgin Trains, which can be found here: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Payments-for-disruption-on-the-railway-made-under-schedule-8.xlsx The Department does not make payment to Virgin Trains as compensation for late running services.

Virgin Trains: Compensation

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much money (a) Network Rail and (b) his Department paid Virgin Trains in (i)2016-17and (ii) 2017-18 as compensation for late running services on the West Coast Mainline.

Andrew Jones: Network Rail publishes data covering payments between Network Rail and Virgin Trains, which can be found here: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Payments-for-disruption-on-the-railway-made-under-schedule-8.xlsx The Department does not make payment to Virgin Trains as compensation for late running services.

Virgin Trains: Compensation

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people travelling on the West Coast Mainline in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18 have been eligible for delay repay refunds from Virgin Trains; and how many of those people have received such refunds.

Andrew Jones: The Department does not hold this information, however the Department does publish data on the total amount of compensation paid by train operating companies to passengers.

Network Rail: Correspondence

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ensure that Network Rail responds to the letters of 11 October 2017, 29 May 2018 and 23 January 2019 from the Rt hon. Member for Exeter on Exeter Brewery's request to purchase the building that it rents from Network Rail.

Andrew Jones: I am sorry to hear your constituent has not received a response from Network Rail to the letters regarding the property they rent from Network Rail. Network Rail inform me there was an error with processing previous correspondence. I understand Network Rail has subsequently responded to your latest correspondence, and have offered to meet with you and your constituent to discuss this matter.

Irish Sea: Pollution

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2001 to Question 144163 on Irish Sea (Pollution), if he will list the pollution incidents involving discharges above 0.01 tonnes in the Irish sea in each of the last 4 years, with the (a) date of the incident, (b) the size of the incident, (c) the name of the company that reported the spill and (d) the name of the company responsible in each case.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The information requested is not recorded in a format that could easily be extracted from or readily available, and it could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Unmanned Air Vehicles: Regulation

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to recoup the cost of regulating drones from their users or manufacturers.

Jesse Norman: There are already charges that exist for certain drone users, when applying to the CAA for permission to operate commercially or for an exemption from an Air Navigation Order article. When registration of drone operators is implemented later this year, drone operators will be required to pay the CAA a registration charge in order to fund the running and maintenance of the service. The CAA will consult on the structure of the proposed charging later this year.

Unmanned Air Vehicles: Regulation

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the technical feasibility of requiring drones to be fitted with geofencing software which prevents their operation around certain sites including airports, high-population density areas and national security sites.

Jesse Norman: Many drone manufacturers already voluntarily implement geo-fencing around sensitive infrastructure such as airports and prisons in the UK. The UK has been participating in negotiations in the EU to mandate geo-fencing as a product standard for all drones. The Department for Transport will continue to work with manufacturers to implement geo-fencing in their products.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Christianity: Oppression

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the terms of reference are of the independent global review into the persecution of Christians announced on 26 December 2018.

Mark Field: ​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office attaches great importance to this independent global review into the persecution of Christians, which was launched on 30 January. The Terms of Reference for the review are currently being agreed with the independent reviewer. They will be published once finalised. We will ensure that the Bishop of Truro is well supported and has the resources needed to conduct the review.

Israel: Immigration Controls

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to raise cases where British Nationals have been refused entry to Israel; and if he will seek assurances from Israeli authorities that all due legal process is followed in such cases to safeguard the rights of UK citizens.

Alistair Burt: ​It is for the Government of Israel to decide its immigration policy. The UK's immigration policies and controls are similarly protected.

Gary Spedding

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise the case of Gary Spedding, who was recently refused entry to Israel, with his Israeli counterpart; and what consular assistance was provided to Gary Spedding in that case.

Alistair Burt: ​It is for the Government of Israel to decide its immigration policy. The UK's immigration policies and controls are similarly protected. Consular officers contacted Mr Spedding to offer Consular assistance in line with our policy. They also contacted Israeli authorities, by which time Mr Spedding had already been returned to the UK.

Israel: Immigration Controls

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many (a) British nationals were refused entry to Israel and (b) requests for assistance his Department received from British nationals held at the Israeli border in 2018.

Alistair Burt: Israeli authorities provide no data to us on the number of British nationals refused entry to Israel. In 2018 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) received 19 requests for assistance from British nationals held at the Israeli border.

Canada: China

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) China and (b) Canada on diplomatic relations between those countries.

Mark Field: The Foreign Secretary spoke to his counterpart Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland of Canada on 20 December and there have been regular contacts with Canada at official level since then. In a statement on 21 December, the Foreign Secretary expressed confidence that Canada was conducting a fair and transparent legal proceeding with respect to Ms Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of Huawei. He also expressed concern at suggestions of a political motivation for the detention of two Canadian citizens by the Chinese government, and called for them to be treated in a fair, unbiased and transparent manner. We have discussed the matter with Chinese officials in London and will continue to monitor the situation through our Embassy in Beijing and High Commission in Ottawa.

Zimbabwe: Violence

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps the Government is taking to support efforts to end the violence in Zimbabwe.

Harriett Baldwin: I summoned the Zimbabwean Ambassador on 17 January, to express our concern at the ongoing situation there, urge the security forces to stop using disproportionate force, and to investigate any cases of alleged human rights abuses. On 21 January, the Foreign Secretary, in a public message to President Mnangagwa, urged him not to turn back the clock and to work with all Zimbabweans in dialogue for a better future. On 30 January, I spoke to Foreign Minister Moyo, repeating our calls for an end to human rights violations and a full investigation into all alleged abuse.We will continue to raise our serious concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe through our Embassy in Harare and Ministerial interventions.

Evan Mawarire

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Zimbabwean counterpart to ensure that Evan Mawarire is given a fair trial in accordance with international law.

Harriett Baldwin: I raised the need for all those arrested to be given a fair trial with the Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Moyo on 30 January. Our Ambassador has reinforced this message in Harare, in meetings with Home Affairs Minister Mathema on 23 January and Foreign Minister Moyo on 25 January.Following his recent arrest, the British Embassy have been monitoring Pastor Evan Mawarire’s court hearings. We were pleased to see he was released on bail on 30 January.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) South Africa, (b) Botswana, (c) Namibia and and (d) Malawi on the situation in Zimbabwe.

Harriett Baldwin: I travelled to South Africa on 30 January and raised Zimbabwe with key regional interlocutors, emphasising the need for urgent action by the international community.I also attended the EU-AU Ministerial meeting in Brussels on 21 January and discussed a range of issues, including Zimbabwe at the meeting.I will continue to raise the political and security situation in Zimbabwe with key counterparts, including those from Commonwealth states, as I did with the Foreign Minister of Mozambique on 3 February.​

Zimbabwe: Detainees

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Zimbabwean counterpart to ensure that individuals detained by the military and the police during the recent unrest are given a fair trial in accordance with international law.

Harriett Baldwin: I summoned the Zimbabwean Ambassador on 17 January to express our concern at the ongoing situation there, and to urge the security forces to stop using disproportionate force and to investigate any cases of alleged human rights violations and abuses. On 30 January, I spoke to Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Moyo, repeating our calls for an end to human rights violations and abuses and a full investigation into all allegations, including arbitrary arrests.We will continue to call on the Government of Zimbabwe to investigate all allegations of human rights violations and abuses and urge them to follow the due process of law.The British Embassy team continue to attend court cases in Harare and Bulawayo and are in regular contact with the legal teams of a number of individuals who have been arrested.

International Criminal Court

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US Government counterparts on the International Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Field: The International Criminal Court (ICC) has our wholehearted support in pursuing the mandate it was given under the Rome Statute. Although the UK government accepts that the Court needs reform, it still plays an important role in ending impunity for the most serious international crimes. We regularly discuss a full range of issues, including the ICC, with the US Administration at every level, and will continue to do so.

Palestinians: Politics and Government

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of political stability in the Palestinian Territories.

Alistair Burt: ​While we have not made a specific assessment of this matter, the UK remains concerned about any actions which increase instability in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We continue to support Palestinian state building and a strong and empowered Palestinian Authority in support of a two-state solution and as an effective partner for peace with Israel. Along with EU partners, we have encouraged the Palestinian leadership to work toward strong, inclusive, accountable and democratic institutions, based on respect for the rule of law and human rights.

Russia: Human Rights

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has read the report by the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission on human rights in Russia; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the recommendations in that report.

Sir Alan Duncan: The FCO is aware of this report. Recommendation 1 calls for the UK government to support human rights defenders in Russia. I did just this in my statement last month on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persecution in Chechnya. Recommendation 2 raises the important work of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Moscow Mechanism. We have led the way in issuing joint EU statements in the Council of Europe and OSCE following the release of the Mechanism's report. And on recommendation 5, I agree on the importance of calling on the Russian Government to investigate human rights abuses, and to end impunity for perpetrators. We have made such calls in a number of recent UK and multilateral statements.

Russia: Human Rights and Third Sector

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase support for civil society and human rights defenders in Russia.

Sir Alan Duncan: The UK continues to support human rights and civil society in Russia. We speak out on human rights abuses, support civil society and human rights defenders, attend trials, and press Russia to adhere to its international commitments. In addition, we continue to make significant funding available to support civil society in Russia at a time when Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and charities are facing growing pressure. We currently fund a broad portfolio of projects to support human rights, civil society and democracy.

Saudi Arabia: Females

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Saudi Arabian authorities to (a) release female human rights defenders detained in since May 2018 and (b) bring to justice those suspected of their torture.

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the UN Human Rights Council (a) condemning the detention and torture of female human rights activists in Saudi Arabia and (b) requesting the release of those women.

Alistair Burt: The British Government is very concerned about the reports that women's rights activists have been subject to torture during pre-trial detention in Saudi Arabia. We consistently and unreservedly condemn torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and it is a priority for us to combat this wherever and whenever it occurs. We have raised concerns about these cases at Ministerial level a number of times with the Saudi authorities.

Saudi Arabia: Females

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Saudi counterpart on the detention of female human rights activists detained in that country.

Alistair Burt: The British Government is very concerned about the reports that women's rights activists have been subject to torture during pre-trial detention in Saudi Arabia. We have raised concerns about these cases at Ministerial level a number of times with the Saudi authorities.

Eritrea: Political Prisoners

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the situation of the G11 group of Eritrean parliamentarians, who have been detained in Eritrea since 2001.

Harriett Baldwin: ​There have been no recent credible or verifiable reports on the situation or condition of the eleven individuals arrested on 18-19 September 2001.

Eritrea: Political Prisoners

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the Eritrean Government on the Eritrean Parliamentarians detained incommunicado in Eritrea since 2001.

Harriett Baldwin: ​The British Government continues to call for the release of all those that are arbitrarily detained for political and religious reasons in Eritrea, including the G11, and that they be provided with due process.

Saudi Arabia: Political Prisoners

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Saudi Arabian counterpart on reports of the indefinite detention of senior political opponents in the Ritz-Carlton hotels and other places; and whether the Government will support a legal process to help bring those who are alleged to have committed illegal acts to justice.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of media reports that a number of individuals remain in detention. We continue to raise our concerns about human rights in Saudi Arabia, including on the restrictions of freedom of expression.

Saudi Arabia: Political Prisoners

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations the Government has made to the Government of Saudi Arabia on providing proof of life for (a) political detainees held in places such as the Ritz-Carlton and (b) female activists held in Riyadh.

Alistair Burt: We continue to raise our concerns about human rights in Saudi Arabia, including on the restrictions of freedom of expression.

Sanctions: Saudi Arabia

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the potential effectiveness of imposing trade sanctions on Saudi Arabia to tackle human rights abuses in that country.

Alistair Burt: Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights priority country, particularly because of the use of the death penalty, women’s rights and restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion or belief. We raise our concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities using a range of Ministerial and diplomatic channels of communication, including our Ambassador and the Embassy team in Riyadh.

Hebron: Israel

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on regional security of the Israeli Government's decision not to renew the mandate of the international observatory task force in Hebron; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: ​While we have not made any assessment of this decision, our Ambassador to Israel raised our concerns over this issue with the Israeli authorities on 29 January.

Russia: Human Rights and Journalism

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Russian counterpart on conducting prompt and effective investigations into (a) threats and (b) incidents of violence against (i) human rights activists and (ii) journalists.

Sir Alan Duncan: Impunity for attacks on journalists and human rights defenders in Russia remains deeply concerning. We continue to urge the Russian authorities to fully investigate these cases, and ensure the safety of all human rights activists and journalists.

Russia: Human Rights

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Russian counterpart on granting access to (a) prisons and (b) detention centres in that country to (i) the International Committee of the Red Cross and (ii) other international human rights monitors.

Sir Alan Duncan: We are concerned about recent reports of human rights violations in Russian prisons and detention centres, particularly reported incidents of torture. We continue to prioritise the promotion and protection of human rights, and will continue to make our concerns clear in bilateral interactions at all levels, where appropriate.

Russia: Journalism

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise the matter of (a) press freedom, (b) the unconditional release of journalists and bloggers and (c) violence against journalists at his next (i) meeting and (ii) discussions with his Russian counterpart.

Sir Alan Duncan: We continue to call on Russia to respect freedom of speech and expression, which are enshrined in the Russian constitution. This includes releasing those who are imprisoned for their journalism. We remain deeply concerned by the state of impunity for perpetrators of attacks on journalists in Russia.

Papua: Politics and Government

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has held with his counterpart in the Indonesian Government on recent instability in West Papua; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Field: The British Government follows the situation in Papua closely. Officials at our Embassy in Jakarta, including the Ambassador, visit Papua regularly. Officials press the Indonesian authorities to address legitimate human rights concerns, including upholding the right of all citizens to peacefully protest, and promote the sustainable and equitable development of the province. The Ambassador met officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in January to discuss the situation in Papua. The UK respects the territorial integrity of Indonesia.

Uganda: Armed Conflict

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Ugandan counterpart on recent developments in the Apaa land conflict; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin: ​We are aware of the ongoing land disputes in Northern Uganda and concerned by the recent related reports of violence. We are following the ongoing Ugandan government-led mediation process closely.As part of our dialogue with the Government of Uganda on all aspects of democratic governance and human rights, we continue to outline the importance of resolving land disputes fairly, peacefully and with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Eritrea: Ethiopia

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help improve relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Harriett Baldwin: ​The United Kingdom warmly welcomes the improvement in relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and supported the lifting of UN sanctions on Eritrea in November 2018. We are working with the region and our international partners to facilitate further progress, including by seeking to identify practical ways to support improved ties and trade.

Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to Saudi counterparts on the humanitarian situation in Yemen and access for humanitarian supplies from the port of Hodeidah.

Alistair Burt: We continue to urge all parties, including the Saudi authorities, to get behind the UN-backed peace process – this is the only way to achieve lasting peace, security and stability in Yemen. The UK and Saudi Arabia will continue to strengthen the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism to ensure that all Yemeni ports can remain fully open to commercial and humanitarian supplies.

Department for International Development

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made of the number of international aid workers operating in Yemen.

Alistair Burt: DFID does not collect or verify data on the number of international aid workers in each country. The current ceiling on international UN Country Team workers in Yemen, however, is between 180 and 190 staff members. This ceiling is set by the UN’s Department of Safety and Security.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made of the number of international aid workers killed while operating in Yemen in each year since 2016.

Alistair Burt: The Aid Worker Security Database (ASWD) collects data on major incidents of violence against humanitarian operations throughout the world and is commonly cited by UN agencies and NGOs. It has not yet released data for 2018, but records six incidents of ‘major violence against humanitarian operations’ in Yemen in 2017 and seven in 2016. In April 2018 Hana Lahoud, a Lebanese national in charge of the ICRC’s detention programme in Yemen was tragically killed in Taiz.

Zimbabwe: Overseas Aid

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has plans to send emergency aid to Zimbabwe as a result of violence in that country.

Harriett Baldwin: Our programme partners have been at the forefront of supporting victims of the recent violence through medical, counselling and legal assistance. My Department had already committed an additional £5 million in response to the emerging humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. We will carefully consider whether further emergency aid is required as a result of the recent violence.

Department for International Development: Trade Associations

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which her Department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations; and if she will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: DFID has no regulatory functions, and so none undertaken by trade associations.

Brazil: Humanitarian Aid

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has provided humanitarian assistance to Brazil as a result of the collapse of the damn in Minas Gerais.

Alistair Burt: DFID has been monitoring the situation and always stands ready to assist. No requests for assistance from HMG have been received. Our embassy is in contact with local authorities who are doing all that they can to help those affected. Our consulate in Belo Horizonte is in contact with British stakeholders that could provide assistance.

International Assistance: Security

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessments required Ministerial approval by her Department in the financial years (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17 and (c) 2017-18.

Penny Mordaunt: We have no record of any Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessments requiring Ministerial approval by DFID in the financial years (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17 and (c) 2017-18.

Venezuela: Humanitarian Aid

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has held with the (a) Government of Venezuela, (b) President of the National Assembly of Venezuela and (c) Governments of neighbouring states on the (i) humanitarian situation in Venezuela and (b) level of humanitarian aid required for Venezuelan refugees in neighbouring countries.

Alistair Burt: The UK is closely in touch with partners in the region to discuss the humanitarian situation in Venezuela and neighbouring countries, including through two DFID advisers deployed to the region. Our Embassies in the region meet regularly with neighbouring governments to discuss the crisis and the level of humanitarian aid required to meet growing needs. The Foreign Secretary spoke to the President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, on 30 January. Their call included discussion on the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and the number of Venezuelans fleeing their homes. DFID continues to work closely with – and provide significant core funding to – the UN and Red Cross movement to alleviate the worsening humanitarian situation.

Overseas Aid

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she has plans to undertake a review the Government's target to spend 0.7 per cent of GDP on Official Development Assistance.

Alistair Burt: My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to review the UK commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income on aid.

Overseas Aid

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the sustainability of the Government's target to spend 0.7 percent of GDP on Official Development Assistance.

Alistair Burt: The commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of our Gross National Income on aid is enshrined in law. The Government’s commitment was reaffirmed by the Prime Minister on her recent visit to Africa and subsequently by the Secretary of State in the House of Commons.

Venezuela: Reconstruction

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what preparations her Department has made for urgent reconstruction work in Venezuela in the event of a change of Government.

Alistair Burt: DFID does not have a bilateral presence in Venezuela. DFID continues to work closely with – and provide significant core funding to – the UN and Red Cross movement to alleviate the worsening humanitarian situation. In the event of a change in government in Venezuela, the international financial institutions will play a key role in supporting any reconstruction work.

Zimbabwe: Overseas Aid

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the development of adequate supplies of (a) fuel and (b) hard currency in Zimbabwe.

Harriett Baldwin: We are encouraging the Government of Zimbabwe to seek IMF advice on the reforms needed to address the current macroeconomic challenges including ensuring adequate supplies of fuel and hard currency in Zimbabwe.

Department for International Development: Living Wage

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2019 to Question 211150 on Department for International Development: contracts, whether cleaning staff paid the London Living Wage or the National Living Wage as appropriate refers to the Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

Alistair Burt: DFID has two Headquarter buildings in the UK, one in East Kilbride, Glasgow and the other in Whitehall, London.All of the contracted cleaning staff are paid the London Living Wage and National Living wage, whichever is appropriate, as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

Department for Education

Free School Meals: Newcastle Upon Tyne Central

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) all children and (b) children eligible for free school meals achieved a good level of development at age five in Newcastle upon Tyne Central constituency in each of the last three years.

Nadhim Zahawi: I refer the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central to the answer I gave on 24 January 2019 to question 210675.

Special Educational Needs: Barnsley

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much his Department has allocated for special needs provision in schools in Barnsley in each year since 2010.

Nadhim Zahawi: Local authorities are required to provide schools with sufficient funds, up to the value of £6,000, to enable schools to meet the additional cost of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This funding comes from the schools block of the Dedicated Schools Grant.When the costs of additional support required for a pupil with SEND exceed £6,000, the local authority should also allocate additional top-up funding to cover the excess costs. This top-up funding, as well as funding for special schools, comes from the local authority’s high needs budget. On 17 December 2018, we announced an additional £250 million in high needs funding across the current financial year and the next financial year, bringing Barnsley’s total high needs funding to £22.2 million in 2018-19.In 2013, the schools and high needs budgets within the Dedicated Schools Grant were created. As the Dedicated Schools Grant includes other budgets such as the early years budget, the department is unable to provide comparable figures before 2013-14.The schools and high needs allocations for Barnsley since 2013-14 are as follows:YearSchoolsHigh Needs2013-14£127.1 million£17.4 million2014-15£126.9 million£18.4 million2015-16£132.1 million£18.4 million2016-17£133.7 million£18.9 million2017-18£137.4 million£21.5 million2018-19£142.9 million£22.2 million

Department for Education: Trade Associations

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which his Department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: No regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which the department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations.

GCSE: English Language and Mathematics

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the decrease in the pass rate for GCSE English and maths resits between 2017 and 2018.

Anne Milton: We want every student to secure the English and mathematics knowledge that will enable them to thrive in their studies, work and life. As a result of the changes made and thanks to the efforts of students, teachers, schools and college and across the country a record number of 19 year olds now hold a Level 2 qualification in both Maths and English. The Department is also investing an additional £50 million over the next 5 years to help improve the quality of post-16 mathematics teaching and spread best practice. It is important that young people have an opportunity to reach their potential and they should be given every opportunity to do this. The Department will publish data on post-16 students achievement in GCSE English and mathematics for the full 2018/19 academic year and compare it to previous academic years after the 2018/19 academic year concludes. Any assessments undertaken prior to the end of the academic year will not reflect the results of those post-16 students studying GCSE English and mathematics who sit their exams in summer 2019.

Education: Exports

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to record data on education as an (a) export and (b) economic value (i) nationally, (ii) regionally and (i) locally.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has plans to monitor the (a) export and (b) economic value of education at the (i) national, (ii) regional and (iii) local authority level.

Chris Skidmore: In January, the department published updated statistics showing UK education exports and transnational activity generated almost £20 billion for the UK economy in 2016, an increase of 26% since 2010. The department intends to publish these statistics annually. These statistics cover the whole of the UK and come from a variety of data sources and, as such, it is currently not possible to disaggregate these statistics to a regional or local authority level. Further information can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-revenue-from-education-related-exports-and-tne-activity.

Education: Trade Agreements

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Trade on including education in its strategy for future bilateral agreements; and what the outcome of those discussions has been.

Chris Skidmore: The government announced on 21 January that the Department for Education and the Department for International Trade will produce an international education strategy in early 2019. The strategy will set out the government’s ambition for international education, and plans to support the sector in driving growth in education exports.The UK is committed to pursuing ambitious trade agreements with the United States, Australia and New Zealand after we leave the European Union, which would seek to build on the UK’s current £19.9 billion of education export revenue. The UK government will continue to ensure that rigorous protections for public services are included in all trade agreements to which it is party.

Education: Exports

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the Government will make an assessment of the potential merits of an international graduate and alumni strategy to support international students’ employment opportunities in their home country to boost UK soft power, research, trade and engagement with alumni by universities, business and government.

Chris Skidmore: The government fully recognises the important economic and cultural contribution that EU and international students make to the UK’s higher education sector. We want that contribution to continue and we are confident – given the world class quality of our higher education sector – that it will. The UK remains a highly attractive destination for non-EU students, with their numbers remaining at record highs – over 170,000 non-EU entrants to UK higher education institutions for the seventh year running. The UK is a world-leading destination for study, with four universities in the world’s top 10 and 16 in the top 100 – second only to the USA. We actively promote study in the UK through the GREAT Campaign and to over 100 countries through the British Council. The government announced on 21 January that the Department for Education and the Department for International Trade will produce an international education strategy in early 2019. The strategy will set out the government’s ambition for international education, and plans to support the sector in driving growth in education exports. This will include making sure we optimise our position in the market for international students.

Overseas Students: Employment

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to improve the recording of the long-term employment destination of international graduates; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Skidmore: The department has already taken steps to improve the recording of the long-term employment destinations of graduates. From the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data we have published the employment and earnings of higher education graduates at different points after graduation. This includes the employment and earnings specifically for international graduates who remained in the UK at one, 3, 5, and 10 years after graduation:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-higher-education-graduate-employment-and-earnings. In addition to this, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the agency responsible for collecting, processing, and publishing data about higher education in the UK, is enhancing the data it collects on graduate destinations. HESA’s new ‘Graduate Outcomes Survey’ will apply to 2017/18 graduates from all nations and record their location and activities around 15 months after completion of their studies. This is a longer-term view of graduate destinations than is currently available from the six-month Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey. This survey will also cover graduates who moved overseas after their studies.

Special Educational Needs: West Sussex

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) initial and (b) additional allocated budgets for special needs provision in West Sussex schools have been in each of the last three years.

Nadhim Zahawi: Local authorities are required to provide schools with sufficient funds to enable mainstream schools to meet the additional cost of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, up to the value of £6,000 per pupil. This funding comes from the schools’ block of the dedicated schools grant.When the costs of additional support required for a pupil with SEN exceed £6,000, the local authority should also allocate additional top-up funding to cover the excess costs. This top-up funding, and all funding for special schools comes from the local authority’s high needs budget. West Sussex have received the following amounts in the schools and high needs blocks in the last three years:  YearSchools block fundingHigh needs funding2016 to 2017£428.0 million£71.7 million2017 to 2018£434.9 million£75.7 million2018 to 2019£445.6 million£79.3 million On 17 December 2018, we announced an additional £250 million in high needs funding across the current financial year and the next. The additional allocation for West Sussex was £1.8 million for 2018 to 2019. This is included in the figures above.

Headteachers

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teachers (a) started and (b) completed the National Professional Qualification in Headship in each of the last five years; and whether he made an assessment of methods for improving head teacher recruitment and retention as part of his recently published recruitment and retention strategy.

Nick Gibb: The number of participants who have (a) started and (b) completed a National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) is set out below. A full set of data for 2017/18 is not held by the Department at this time. Academic YearParticipants who started an NPQHParticipants who completed an NPQH2012-1311928552013-1411328042014-159346242015-1611727442016-171520511 The Department funds a range of professional development programmes to strengthen school leadership in the most challenging areas and ensure there is a pipeline of talented leaders in the system. These include the reformed National Professional Qualification (NPQs) and High Potential programmes, which support aspiring and serving leaders to develop the knowledge and skills they need to be successful. As set out in the Recruitment and Retention Strategy, the Government is investing £20 million in scholarships to drive take-up of the reformed NPQs in the most challenging areas, doubling our initial intended investment.

Members: Correspondence

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will place in the Library a copy of his letter to the Chief Inspector of Ofsted, dated 15 November 2018, on Steiner independent schools and other matters.

Anne Milton: A copy of the letter of 15 November from the my right Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, on the subject of Steiner schools and other matters, will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Academies: Insolvency

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of academy chains that have (a) gone into administration and (b) collapsed in each year since 2010.

Nadhim Zahawi: Our latest records show that no academy trust has gone into administration. Where there is a risk to public funds, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will intervene in a proportionate manner to avoid financial issues affecting school provision. The ESFA has a robust intervention strategy to support an academy trust, which is a company limited by guarantee and subject to company law, to reach a stronger financial position. Intervention actions range from supporting and building trust capacity through to issuing a Financial Notice to Improve, or in the most serious cases, terminating a funding agreement, after schools have been transferred to another trust.

Schools: Discipline

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the guidance issued by his Department on the use of isolation units in schools.

Nick Gibb: Schools are free to develop their own behaviour policies and strategies for managing behaviour according to their own particular circumstances. To help schools develop effective strategies, the Department has produced advice for schools which covers what should be included in the behaviour policy. This advice can be viewed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools. Schools can adopt a policy which allows disruptive pupils to be placed in isolation away from other pupils for a limited period. If a school uses isolation rooms as a disciplinary penalty, this should be made clear in their behaviour policy. As with other disciplinary penalties, schools must act lawfully, reasonably and proportionately in all cases. The school must also ensure the health and safety of pupils. The Department regularly reviews the guidance issued to schools and updates it as appropriate.

Children: Social Services

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of children in (a) the East Midlands, (b) Nottingham and (c) Nottingham North who are taken into social care by court order.

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in (a) the East Midlands, (b) Nottingham and (c) Nottingham North have been taken into social care by court order in the last (i) one, (ii) three and (iii) five years.

Nadhim Zahawi: The government wants every child to be in a stable, loving home that is right for them.One of the key principles of the legislation which underpins the UK’s child protection system, is that children are best looked after within their families. However, that is not always possible and, as a last resort, local authorities can apply to the courts for a care or supervision order where the child is suffering, or is at risk of suffering, significant harm. In making their decisions, the courts must be satisfied that the threshold for significant harm has been met and that taking the child from his or her family’s care will be in the child’s best interests. Where a child cannot live at home, we must make sure they are safe and receive the highest quality care, which is why we are working hard to improve the social care support for children across England through our reform programme, Putting Children First. We have also established the Children’s Social Care What Works Centre, whose initial research priority focuses on ‘what works in safely reducing the need for children to enter care’.In the Autumn Budget, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced an additional £410 million for adult and children’s social care in 2019-20. A further £84 million is also being invested over the next 5 years through the Strengthening Families, Protecting Children programme. This will build on three of our most promising Innovation Programme projects, with the aim of improving social work practice to enable children to stay safely at home where that is in their best interests.This investment is in addition to the almost £270 million the department has invested in our Innovation and Improvement programmes since 2014. There have been 4 programmes in local authorities in the East Midlands region and over 90 in local authorities across England to help innovate and re-design service delivery to achieve higher quality. The Creating Strong Communities model, for example, developed by North East Lincolnshire has been designed to fundamentally change the way local practitioners and partners in North East Lincolnshire work together to safeguard vulnerable children.The number of children taken into care in the East Midlands region and Nottingham local authority area is shown in the attached table. The department does not collect this data by parliamentary constituency area.Figures on children taken into care by legal status is published for England in Table C1 of the statistical release “Children Looked after in England including adoptions: 2017:2018” at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018  



214628_629_Children_who_started_to_be_looked_after
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Children: Social Services

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2019 to Question 211786 on Children: Social Services, which local authority requested exemption from statutory guidance; from what statutory guidance that local authority requested exemption; and for what reason that request was refused.

Nadhim Zahawi: In June 2018, Hackney wrote to the department asking for dispensation from ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015’ in relation to child protection conferences. They wanted to explore establishing an alternative process with a specific cohort of young people where the risk of harm was derived from outside of their family, but their parents were engaged with services. The department wrote back to say, as set out in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018’, that the statutory guidance should be compiled with unless exceptional circumstances arise.

Curriculum: Sports

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what requirements there are for schools to offer as part of the curriculum (a) football and (b) rugby; and if he will make a statement.

Nadhim Zahawi: The government wants all young people to leave formal education as happy, confident and well-rounded individuals. Exercise and organised sport such as football and rugby can play a huge part in children’s personal resilience and emotional wellbeing. Physical education (PE) is a compulsory subject at all four key stages in the national curriculum. Schools have the freedom to offer sports that interest and engage their pupils. There is a greater focus on competitive sport in PE lessons and we know that many schools offer their pupils rugby and football as part of their curricular and extra-curricular sport offer. Details of the national curriculum requirements can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-physical-education-programmes-of-study. Through the primary PE and sport premium, the government has invested over £1 billion of ring-fenced funding to primary schools to improve PE and sport since 2013.Through the School Sport Action Plan, which will be published in the Spring, the government will work with national governing bodies of sport and local community sport clubs to make it easier for pupils to take part in sports, and this will include football and rugby.

Children: Day Care

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of Save the Children's estimate, in their report entitled Lost Opportunities, Lost Income, published 23 January 2019, that mothers are losing out on over £1.2 billion in earnings due to a lack of affordable childcare.

Nadhim Zahawi: The government is very aware of the challenges faced by families, including working mothers, due to childcare costs. That is why we will be spending around £6 billion on childcare support in 2019-20. This is more than any previous government. This includes around £3.5 billion which we plan to spend this year on all the free early education entitlements. All 3 and 4 year olds, and the most disadvantaged two-year-olds, are able to access 15 hours a week of free early education and, from September last year, we doubled the childcare entitlement for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours a week. In the first year of delivery, over 340,000 children benefited from a 30 hours place. Eligibility for the 30 hours entitlement is based on parental income. This means that parents using the full 30 hours entitlement could save, on average, up to £5,000 per year. Our recent evaluation of the first year of national roll-out of 30 hours of free childcare indicated that over one quarter of mothers surveyed said they had increased their hours and 15% stated that they would not be working without the extended hours.

Pre-school Education: Standards

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has assessed the relationship between (a) the level of provision of early years’ education and (b) inequalities in educational attainment.

Nadhim Zahawi: Evidence tells us that children from disadvantaged backgrounds can be up to 19 months behind their better off peers in their learning by the time they start school. High-quality early learning from the age of 2 can help to narrow that gap, helping those children to achieve better GCSE results and ultimately earn higher wages. That is why we require local authorities to fund places for 2 year old children at providers judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. Since its introduction in 2013, nearly three quarters of a million of the country’s most disadvantaged 2 year olds have benefitted from the entitlement to 15 hours of free early education a week. Take-up is rising, and is now 72%. As of 31 August 2018, the proportion of childcare providers judged good or outstanding remains at its highest ever at 95%.

Pre-school Education: Teachers

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of graduate early years’ teachers.

Nadhim Zahawi: We are committed to ensuring that there are routes to graduate level qualifications for the early years workforce. We fully fund the Early Years Initial Teacher Training programme which leads to Early Years Teacher Status, including bursaries and employer incentives. Information about all the initial teacher training routes and funding is available on the ‘Get into Teaching’ website at: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/explore-my-options/become-an-early-years-teacher.

Erasmus+ Programme

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he held with the Chancellor of the Exchequer ahead of the publication of the technical note entitled Erasmus+ and EU Solidarity Corps in the UK if there’s no Brexit deal, published in January 2019, on how the funding mechanism for Erasmus+ underwrites will work in practice in the event that the UK leave the EU without a deal.

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether funding for students currently on Erasmus+ placement years in (a) the UK and (b) in EU member states will be guaranteed to complete their year abroad in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Chris Skidmore: Leaving the EU with a deal remains the government’s top priority. This has not changed. However a responsible government must plan for every eventuality, including a no deal scenario. We are intensifying and accelerating no deal planning to ensure we are fully prepared. The Department for Education and Her Majesty's Treasury have regular discussions on preparations for leaving the EU in a no deal scenario, including on this issue. The updated Technical Notice states the current position on no deal preparations for Erasmus+. In the event of a no deal, the government guarantee will cover the payment of awards to UK applicants for all successful Erasmus+ bids agreed by the National Agency and EU Commission. We have noted the information released by the European Commission on 30 January 2019 with regards to contingency planning for Erasmus+ and we are seeking to hold discussions with the Commission as soon as possible to discuss this. With regards to 2019 applications, we continue to recommend that applications are submitted, as they are normally, both to the UK National Agency and directly to the European Commission in line with the 2019 Programme Guide. The Government Guarantee will cover the payment of awards to UK applicants for all successful Erasmus+ bids for the duration of the course. Successful bids are those that are approved directly by the European Commission or by the National Agency and ratified by the European Commission.

Children: Social Services

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the January 2019 NAO report Pressures on children's social care, whether his Department plans to commission research using the individual child-level data that it holds into the factors that drive demand for children’s social care.

Nadhim Zahawi: Since 2011, we have been improving and expanding our data collections. We are carrying out further research on the drivers of demand and variation within and between local authorities, using individual child-level data.The department is also working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the sector as part of the review of relative needs and resources, to develop a robust, up-to-date approach to funding distribution for children's services to ensure funding distribution to councils is based on the best available evidence. We welcome research approaches, such as the work National Audit Office has undertaken, that enhance our data.

Children: Social Services

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has identified a level of local variation which is acceptable in the amount of money spent per child in need; and if he will make a statement.

Nadhim Zahawi: We publish information on the average spend per child in need, by local authority, in the local authority interactive tool. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait. This shows a number of unit cost calculations relating to the children in need population, including total annual local authority expenditure on looked after children divided by the number of looked after children and total annual local authority expenditure on social work and commissioning divided by the total number of children in need. There are a range of factors that will lead to variation in the amount of money spent per child, including the needs and circumstances of the children supported and accommodated. These factors will influence the services provided to children and the cost of their accommodation.

Apprentices

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprenticeship starts have taken place on each apprenticeship standard in each month since the beginning of the 2017-18 academic year.

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprenticeship end-point assessments have (a) been conducted on each standard and (b) resulted in successful completions in the latest period for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: The department publishes apprenticeship starts for each apprenticeship standard by month alongside the monthly Apprenticeships and Levy Statistics publication. Data can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/773828/201819_January_MonthlyAppStartsFwk_FINAL.xlsx.To achieve a standard, the learner must pass the end-point assessment. There were 2,800 completions (completed training) and 2,700 achievements on standards in the 2017/18 academic year and 2,000 completions and 1,800 achievements reported to date in the first quarter of the 2018/19 academic year (August to October 2018). There are several reasons that an apprentice may have been recorded as completed without being recorded as achieved, including that they are waiting for their end-point assessment to be completed or awaiting a re-sit for their end-point assessment. Breakdowns of completions and achievements on individual standards in 2017/18 and Q1 2018/19 reported to date are available in the attached file. Achievements data for all apprenticeships is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/772385/Apprenticeship-starts-ach-framework-standard-tool_201415-Q1201819_Jan2019_v1.xlsx. 



214487_214488_table_apprenticeship_standards
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Disabled Students Allowances

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information his Department holds on the disabilities that students who qualified for the Disabled Students Allowance in each year since 2014-15.

Chris Skidmore: Neither the Department for Education nor the Student Loans Company routinely collects data on the disabilities of students eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowances. Advance HE publishes annually a national student equality data report for higher education institutions. Its most recent report can be found at https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/resources/2018_HE-stats-report-students.pdf table 2.3 on page 83 shows a profile of all disabled students over time by impairment type.

Children in Care

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the change has been in the number of (a) looked after children and (b) children who were in foster placements between 2013 and 2018.

Nadhim Zahawi: The information is shown in the table accompanying the response.Figures on children looked after and placed in foster care in England are published table A2 in the national tables in the statistical releases ‘Children Looked After in England including adoptions: 2016-2017’ and ‘Children Looked After in England including adoptions: 2017-2018’, which are available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-looked-after-children. 



214518_table_on_looked_after_children
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Children: Social Services

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2018 to Question 122517 on children: social services, whether the six local authorities named in that answer are still exempt from statutory guidance.

Nadhim Zahawi: I refer the hon. Member for South Shields to the answer I gave on 18 January 2018 to Question 122517 where six local authorities named in were issued non-time-limited directions in January 2015.

Apprentices: Standards

Trudy Harrison: What steps his Department is taking to increase the quality of apprenticeships.

James Morris: What steps his Department is taking to increase the quality of apprenticeships.

Anne Milton: New industry-designed standards are driving up quality, such as the project management apprenticeship developed by employers. We have increased off-the-job training and introduced rigorous end-point assessments so apprentices are occupationally competent. We’ve also strengthened the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers giving employers confidence apprentices will receive high-quality training.

Education: Finance

Antoinette Sandbach: What recent comparative assessment he has made of education funding in England and in other countries.

Bim Afolami: What recent comparative assessment he has made of education funding in England and in other countries.

Nick Gibb: The most recent OECD data shows that the UK spent at least as much per pupil on state school education as any other G7 nation, apart from the United States.

Teachers: Standards

Jim Shannon: What steps his Department has taken to strengthen the teaching profession.

Nick Gibb: On 28 January 2019 we launched the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy.Designed collaboratively with the education sector, the centrepiece of the strategy is the Early Career Framework, which will underpin a fully-funded, two-year package of structured support for all teachers in the first two years of their career.

Literacy: Teaching Methods

Will Quince: What recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of teaching early literacy through phonics.

Nick Gibb: There is a significant body of evidence that demonstrates that systematic phonics is a highly effective method for teaching early reading. According to the Education Endowment Foundation, phonics approaches have been consistently found to be effective in supporting younger readers to master the basics of reading, with an average impact of an additional 4 months’ progress. Research suggests that phonics is particularly beneficial for younger pupils (4 to 7 year-olds) as they begin to read. Teaching phonics is more effective on average than other approaches to early reading (such as whole language or alphabetic approaches).The Department is investing £26 million in a national network of English hubs to support local schools in developing their teaching practice, with a focus on systematic phonics. We are also funding 6 Phonics Partnerships and a series of Phonics Roadshows, to spread good practice and improve phonics teaching.

Education: Standards

Luke Hall: What steps his Department has taken to raise educational standards in schools.

Nick Gibb: Since 2010, we have reformed the national curriculum, GCSEs and A levels to set world-class standards across all subjects.We have also committed to 75% of pupils in state-funded mainstream schools studying the EBacc combination of core academic subjects by September 2022 and 90% by September 2025.The attainment gap between those from disadvantaged backgrounds and other pupils has fallen by 13% in primary schools and 9.5% at Key Stage 4 since 2011.

Vocational Education

Robert Halfon: What steps he is taking to ensure that (a) academies and (b) local authority maintained schools comply with section 2 of the Further Education and Technical Act 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: Inviting providers of technical education into schools is vital to give all pupils a full picture of their options. We are writing to local authorities to make sure that schools comply.We have written to the largest multi academy trusts currently not meeting the duty, reminding them what is required, and will take further action if we have evidence schools are still not complying.

Leader of the House

Early Day Motions

Patrick Grady: To ask the Leader of the House, if she will publish a response to EDM 1967 entitled, Parliamentary Prayers.

Andrea Leadsom: The provision of Parliamentary Prayers is a matter for the House. However, many Members of all faiths appreciate the opportunity for quiet reflection before making important decisions during debates and the course of the Parliamentary day. Over recent years Parliament has made many inclusive reforms, including the creation of a multi-faith prayer room.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Plastics

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he will take to reduce the use of single-use plastic.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government published the Resources and Waste Strategy for England in December last year which sets out our plans to reduce plastic pollution and to move towards a more circular economy. This builds on the commitment in the 25 Year Environment Plan to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste.   We have already made good progress, banning microbeads in rinse-off personal care products and removing 15.6 billion plastic bags from circulation with our 5p charge.   We have consulted on banning plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds and are currently consulting on extending the carrier bag charge. We will shortly consult on reforming existing packaging waste regulation, introducing a deposit return scheme for drinks containers and increasing consistency in the recycling system. Legislative proposals will be developed taking account of the consultation responses.   The Government is also committed, subject to consultation, to introducing a tax on plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled context. We will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and materials to take a systematic approach to reducing the use of unnecessary single-use plastic products.   A number of Departments, including Defra, have already taken steps to eliminate single-use consumer plastics from their operations. The 25 Year Environment Plan includes a commitment to remove all single-use consumer plastics from central Government offices and the Resources and Waste Strategy has confirmed that the Government will do this by 2020.   Waste and recycling policy is a devolved matter, and the Government continues to work with the Devolved Administrations in delivering our shared ambitions to improve waste and recycling outcomes and promote resource efficiency in the UK.

African Swine Fever

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made contingency plans for an outbreak of African swine flu in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: Defra has robust contingency plans in place for dealing with outbreaks of exotic notifiable disease, including African swine fever, and these are regularly tested.   The Contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases of animals in England 2018 is published and describes how government and operational partners prepare for and respond to an exotic notifiable disease outbreak or incident.   The Disease Control Strategy for African and Classical Swine Fever in Great Britain is published on GOV.UK and describes the actions that would be taken in the event of an outbreak of African swine fever.

Agriculture: Finance

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including the use of skylark plots in his Department's future environmental land management scheme.

George Eustice: A new Environmental Land Management (ELM) system will give farmers and land managers incentives to deliver a wide variety of environmental benefits. This will include creating or maintaining habitats for birds such as the skylark, which has faced rapid population decline in the past few decades. I recognise the potential benefits skylark plots have had under current schemes; I am confident in any new ELM system we will be able to build on these benefits and reverse their decline.

Beverage Containers: Recycling

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to include community groups in the planned consultation on a deposit return scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The consultation on introducing a deposit return scheme (DRS), which will be published shortly, will look at how such a scheme would operate. We are aware that any DRS would need to be accessible for all, and will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and ensure everyone has a chance to have their say.

Air Pollution

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons the Clean Air Strategy 2018 does not discuss PM1 and PM0.1; and what evidence his Department has on the safety to human health of (a) those particles and (b) urban air quality.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Clean Air Strategy 2019 sets out our proposals for meeting our legally binding emissions ceilings for five key pollutants – fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3) and non-methane volatile organic compounds. The pollutant with the strongest evidence for impacts on human health is PM2.5. Many of the sources of PM2.5 are also responsible for PM1 and PM0.1, and so our actions to reduce emissions of fine particulate matter will have positive benefits for the emissions of even smaller particles. The other four pollutants also often undergo chemical reactions in the air, becoming PM1 or PM0.1 particles. The reductions in the emissions of these pollutants will result in less pollution to undergo these reactions, and therefore fewer PM1 or PM0.1 particles formed in the air. a) While we have not made an assessment of the impact on health of PM1, the independent Air Quality Expert Group published a report into PM0.1 particles (known as ultrafine particulate matter) which is available on Defra’s UK-AIR website. b) Defra does not report on the health effects of urban air quality specifically, but we do carry out assessments of air quality nationally. The quality of our air is improving nationwide, with lower emissions and lower concentrations, and much of the decrease in emissions has been in urban areas. Our Clean Air Strategy is emission-source focused, and as urban areas are often where there are most sources, these are the areas that will experience the biggest benefits from the Strategy.

Incinerators

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of filter bags in waste incinerators in safely capturing pollutants (a) PM 0.1 and (b) PM1.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Bag filters are recognised by the European Best Available Techniques (BAT) reference notes (BREF notes) to be one of the best techniques for abating dust emissions from incinerators, where dust means particulate matter of all sizes, including PM1.0 and PM0.1. This is reflected in both the current BREF note for Waste Incineration, and the final draft of the new BREF note which is due to be published later this year. In addition to a requirement to use BAT to abate their dust emissions, operators of all incinerators are required to carry out air quality modelling as part of their application for an environmental permit, which is then checked and assessed by the Environment Agency to ensure that the plant will not have an unacceptable impact on the environment or human health. This includes modelling to determine the highest concentration of ground-level PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations. PM10 means all particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometres (μm) or less, and PM2.5 means 2.5 μm or less. Therefore both PM10 and PM2.5 include PM1 and PM0.1.

Nappies: Waste Disposal

Sandy Martin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the volume of disposable nappies in household waste; and what assessment he has made of the (a) environmental and (b) financial merits of the introduction of reusable nappy schemes by local authorities.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: I met Procter & Gamble who have developed a technology to recycle nappies and I understand they are in discussions with several local authorities to establish a facility in the UK. The Government is committed to eliminating all avoidable waste by 2050, and wants to encourage more recycling and to make it easier for households to recycle. We say more on how we will do this in our Resources and Waste Strategy which was published in December last year.   While reusable nappies may make a valuable contribution to reducing residual waste that has to be disposed of to landfill or incineration, the Government has not made a formal assessment of the environmental or financial merits of the introduction of reusable nappy schemes by local authorities.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2019 to Question 207553 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit, how much of the £720 million allocated to his Department for Brexit preparations in 2018-19 and 2019-20 has been allocated to preparing for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

David Rutley: In addition to the information provided in response to Question 207553, I can confirm that Defra plans to apply in full its additional funding in 2018-19 and 2019-20 to prepare for and deliver its wide ranging programme of EU exit activities in readiness for all exit scenarios.   Defra does not allocate funding separately for preparations for the UK leaving the EU with or without a withdrawal agreement.

Natural England: Finance

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of levels of funding for Natural England; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Natural England’s new interim Chief Executive is working closely with its board, Defra and myself to agree its priorities in light of the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and its statutory duties as stated in the Natural Environmental and Rural Communities Act 2006. Natural England is engaged fully with the Department’s current business planning round and in preparations for the next Spending Review, as well as exploring options to continue to diversify its funding base.

Food: Waste Disposal

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the information that his Department holds on local authorities that undertake separate food waste collections.

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which local authorities in England undertake separate food waste collections.

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to record which local authorities in England have yet to undertake separate food waste collections.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: A list of the local authorities in England that collect separate food waste, and tonnages collected in 2017/18 is provided below.   Further data on local authority food waste collection can be found at https://data.gov.uk/dataset/0e0c12d8-24f6-461f-b4bc-f6d6a5bf2de5/wastedataflow-local-authority-waste-management.   The Government will be consulting shortly on measures to introduce separate food waste collection across all local authorities in England by 2023. This is in accordance with ambitions outlined in our recently published Resources and Waste Strategy.Raw data on separate food waste collection that is publically available 2017/18   Authority Tonnage of separately collected food waste reported Ashford Borough Council 4,367 Aylesbury Vale District Council 6,278 Barnet LB 4,632 Bath and North East Somerset Council 5,551 Bexley LB 7,527 Bournemouth Borough Council 3,201 Braintree District Council 4,307 Brent LB 6,594 Brentwood Borough Council 1,001 Bristol City Council 11,689 Broadland District Council 1,944 Bromley LB 8,906 Broxbourne Borough Council 3,048 Calderdale MBC 4,871 Cambridge City and South Cambs Councils 364 Camden LB 2,610 Canterbury City Council 2,884 Castle Point Borough Council 2,965 Central Bedfordshire 4,868 Chelmsford Borough Council 5,181 Cheltenham Borough Council 3,241 Cheshire West and Chester 9,747 City of London 141 Colchester Borough Council 5,196 Corby Borough Council 1,143 Croydon LB 9,042 Dacorum Borough Council 4,872 Daventry District Council 1,410 Derbyshire Dales District Council 1,020 Dorset Waste Partnership 17,891 Dover District Council 3,619 Ealing LB 7,214 East Devon District Council 6,638 East Northamptonshire Council 2,654 Eastleigh Borough Council 1,900 Elmbridge Borough Council 4,725 Epsom and Ewell Borough Council 2,321 Folkestone and Hythe District Council 3,299 Forest of Dean District Council 2,799 Gloucester City Council 3,304 Gravesham Borough Council 2,978 Guildford Borough Council 4,183 Hackney LB 4,275 Halton Borough Council 188 Haringey LB 836 Harlow District Council 3,055 Harrow LB 8,674 Hounslow LB 5,099 Isle of Wight Council 5,401 Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council 3,112 Leeds City Council MBC 1,189 Lewes District Council 926 Maidstone Borough Council 4,590 Maldon District Council 2,277 Merton LB 3,282 Mid Devon District Council 2,076 Mole Valley District Council 2,685 Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council 2,693 North Hertfordshire District Council 246 North Lincolnshire Council 31 North Somerset Council 6,528 Northampton Borough Council 2,706 Norwich City Council 2,198 Oxford City Council 6,148 Peterborough City Council 4,060 Plymouth City Council 185 Reigate and Banstead Borough Council 4,564 Richmond upon Thames LB 2,879 Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea 15 Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames 4,576 Runnymede Borough Council 2,413 Sandwell MBC 4,226 Sefton MBC 1,288 Somerset Waste Partnership 17,827 South Bucks District Council 2,130 South Gloucestershire Council 6,788 South Hams District Council 339 South Northamptonshire District Council 2,991 South Oxfordshire District Council 5,552 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council 4,397 Spelthorne Borough Council 2,591 St Albans City and District Council 4,850 St Helens MBC 3,228 Stoke-on-Trent City Council 27 Stroud District Council 5,755 Surrey Heath Borough Council 3,410 Sutton LB 7,403 Swale Borough Council 3,094 Tandridge District Council 2,726 Teignbridge District Council 5,382 Tendring District Council 2,008 Tewkesbury Borough Council 2,996 Thanet District Council 3,041 Three Rivers District Council 3,139 Torbay Council 2,826 Uttlesford District Council 2,908 Vale of White Horse District Council 4,898 Waltham Forest LB 154 Waverley Borough Council 3,959 West Devon Borough Council 1,676 West Oxfordshire District Council 3,926 Westminster City Council 2,843 Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council 2,060 Woking Borough Council 3,933 Wolverhampton MBC 2,134 Wycombe District Council 7,778 Grand Total 413,315

Nappies: Health Hazards

Sandy Martin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to make an assessment of the effect on babies of (a) glyphosate and (b) other chemicals used in disposable nappies.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The UK’s product safety regimes are among the strongest in the world and we have a robust framework of chemicals regulation in place to protect human health; this includes the restriction of chemicals in certain products. General product safety is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. They apply to all products used by consumers and place a duty on producers and distributors to ensure their products are safe in normal or reasonable foreseeable use. We have also committed in our Resources and Waste Strategy to considering how we address the identification and tracking of chemicals in products across supply chains.

Air Pollution

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to announce departmental targets for the reduction of PM 2.5 pollutants.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The UK has legally binding targets to reduce the emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) by 2020 and again by 2030 under the National Emissions Ceilings Regulations 2018. We also have legally binding limits for PM2.5 concentrations (annual mean of 25μg/m3), with which we are in full compliance nationwide. We are on track to meet the 2020 target (20μg/m3) already. In our recent Clean Air Strategy, we also set out our ambition to halve the number of people living in areas above the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline level of 10μg/m3 by 2025. We also committed to setting a new, ambitious, long-term target to reduce people’s exposure to PM2.5, and we will publish evidence early in 2019 to examine what action would be needed to meet the WHO guideline level of 10μg/m3. We are the first major economy to set ambitions based on the WHO guidelines for PM2.5. Our Clean Air Strategy was welcomed by the WHO, who called it “an example for the rest of the world to follow.”

Nappies: Recycling

Neil O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many disposable nappies have been recycled in the UK in the last 12 months.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government does not have data on how many disposable nappies have been recycled in the last 12 months. I met Procter & Gamble who have developed a technology to recycle nappies and I understand they are in discussions with several local authorities to establish a facility in the UK. The Government wants to encourage more recycling and to make it easier for households to recycle. In our Resources and Waste Strategy, which was published in December 2018, more is said on how we will encourage recycling and make it easier to understand.

Air Pollution

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made on the feasibility of enshrining the World Health Organisation's air quality targets into UK law.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: In our Clean Air Strategy, published in January, we set out our ambition to reduce people’s exposure to PM2.5, and committed to publishing a report early this year examining what action would need to be taken to meet the World Health Organization’s PM2.5 annual mean guideline level of 10μg/m3. That evidence is still being gathered, and we will publish the report in due course. We are the first major economy to set out ambitions based on the World Health Organization’s PM2.5 targets, and our Clean Air Strategy was welcomed by the WHO’s Director General as “an example for the rest of the world to follow.”

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many holdings were tested for bovine tuberculosis using interferon gamma testing; how many animals were tested in each of those holdings using interferon gamma tests; and of those animals tested, how many tested positive in each county of England in 2018.

George Eustice: The number of holdings in English counties that were subject to interferon gamma testing is set out in the attached table. This includes the number of animals that were tested and the number of samples that were positive.



Gamma testing - all counties
(Word Document, 36.45 KB)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Statutory Instruments

Sue Hayman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2019 to Question 211247, which external organisations have been invited to view each Statutory Instrument in draft; and if he will publish the comments that those organisations have made on each instrument.

David Rutley: Information on stakeholder engagement, where applicable, is contained in the Explanatory Memorandum accompanying each Statutory Instrument (SI). For instance, Defra organised informal discussions with 23 stakeholders on The REACH Regulations 2019, and undertook targeted engagement with stakeholders for the Fisheries Regulations 2019 alongside coverage in the Fisheries White Paper. Defra has also invited some specialists, on a personal basis, to preview late stage drafts of SIs. This provides an opportunity for technical scrutiny before the SI is laid before Parliament. This is independent of a specialist’s right to comment on SIs once public or as a member of an organisation. So far 44 specialists have been involved.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Statutory Instruments

Sue Hayman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2019 to Question 211247, whether each Statutory Instrument listed (a) makes policy changes; (b) will lead to a change in operational delivery; (c) will impose additional costs on (i) business, (ii) individuals, or (iii) the public sector; (d) makes changes to primary legislation; (e) will result in additional environmental effects compared with the legislation being amended or replaced; and (f) is only required in the event that the UK leaves the EU with no deal.

David Rutley: The corrections contained in Defra’s EU Exit SIs ensure operability of current EU law and are mainly technical in nature and do not make changes to existing policy. In line with the Government’s overall approach to EU exit, the corrections made in Defra’s EU Exit SIs seek to ensure that legislation can work sensibly in a non-EU context. Each SI will be accompanied by an explanatory memoranda which will provide details of legislative corrections and their impacts. These explanatory memoranda will be published at the time the SI is laid.

Early Day Motions

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish a response to Early Day Motion 1761 entitled Public ownership of water in England.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: I responded to a debate called by the Rt Hon. Member for Harrow West in Westminster Hall on 22 January, where I set out the Government’s position on the model for the water industry in England. Further information can be accessed here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-01-22/debates/93097112-7B8E-459A-BE5A-530A7D3EA826/WaterIndustry

Department for Exiting the European Union

Department for Exiting the European Union: Trade Associations

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, which regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which his Department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robin Walker: None of the legislation for which my Department has responsibility imposes regulatory functions that are undertaken by trade associations.

Brexit: Northern Ireland

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union what (a) technologies and (b) methods are included in the term alternative arrangements in relation to the Northern Ireland backstop.

Mr Robin Walker: The Withdrawal Agreement sets out a commitment to “alternative arrangements” to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and the Political Declaration is clear that the UK and EU should work together and exchange information on facilitative arrangements and technologies. The Government plans to continue discussion with members from around the House in the coming days to finalise proposals with which to go back to the EU.

Brexit: Northern Ireland

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union, if he will place in the Library copies of his Departmental papers in relation to the viability of placing alternative arrangements at the border on the island of Ireland.

Mr Robin Walker: Parliament will of course need to ratify the agreement that the government reaches with the European Union. A majority of members of the House have said they would support a deal with changes to the backstop. As such, the Prime Minister will now take this mandate forward and seek to obtain legally binding changes to the Withdrawal Agreement that deal with concerns on the backstop while guaranteeing no return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.There are a number of ways that we could do this, and the Prime Minister will work constructively with MPs to see how we could take this forward.

European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to his oral contribution of 29 January 2019, Official Report, column 755, on the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018, which experts he proposes to consult on the technical points raised in the proposals of the hon. Member for North West Hampshire; and if he will make a statement on their response.

Mr Robin Walker: A number of members of the House have suggested ways to achieve alternative arrangements. This sits alongside the UK and the EU’s existing commitment to developing alternative arrangements to replace the backstop. The Political Declaration is also clear that this includes looking at how facilitative arrangements and technologies can avoid a hard border. Such arrangements are also referenced in the text of the Withdrawal Agreement.The Government plans to continue discussion with members from around the House in the coming days to finalise proposals to go back to the EU.

Attorney General

Attorney General: Trade Associations

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Attorney General, which regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which his Department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Buckland: The Law Officers’ Departments do not have any regulatory functions imposed by legislation that are currently undertaken by trade associations.

Road Traffic Offences: Prosecutions

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2018 to Question 194050 on Crown Prosecution Service: Staff, what the figure was for prosecutions for minor motoring offences (a) at the beginning of that period (b) at the end of that period.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of prosecuted defendants by twelve Principal Offence Categories, including the category of Motoring Offences. The table below shows the number of summary-only prosecutions at magistrates’ courts allocated to the Motoring Offences category for both the 12 months ending September 2008 and September 2018 and the change in both volume and percent.  Year Ending September 2008Year Ending September 2018Volume change% ChangeCPS Motoring Prosecution Caseload367,90595,726-272,179-74.0% Data Source: Case Management Information SystemIt is not possible to disaggregate figures to show separately the volume and outcome of proceedings for individual offences within the Motoring Offences category. While the number of overall prosecutions has decreased during the period, the highest fall in caseload has been in magistrates’ courts, where volumes reduced by 54.1%. This followed changes to the list of specified offences made in 2012 which transferred responsibility for prosecuting many low level motoring offences back to the police.

Crown Prosecution Service: West Midlands

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, what the change has been in the overall case load for the CPS in the West Midlands between May 2010 and November 2018.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, what the change has been in the overall case load for the Crown Prosecution Service in the West Midlands in each year from 2010 to 2018.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the volumes of completed prosecutions, or caseload, as a count of the number of defendants and collates the data collected in financial years. The table below shows the number of finalised prosecution outcomes in the West Midlands CPS Area during each year from 2010-11 to 2017-18 and the year on year change in both volume and percent. Prosecution CaseloadVolume Change% Change2010-201184,299--2011-201278,303-5,996-7.1%2012-201372,389-5,914-7.6%2013-201469,584-2,805-3.9%2014-201559,878-9,706-13.9%2015-201665,8085,9309.9%2016-201766,8411,0331.6%2017-201858,849-7,992-12.0% Data Source: CPS Management Information System It is important to be aware that the types of cases prosecuted by West Midlands CPS have changed significantly in the period between 2010 and 2018. The Area is prosecuting more serious and complex cases as evidenced by a 46% increase in homicide (38% nationally), a 34% increase in fraud and forgery (26% nationally) and a 55% increase in sexual offences cases (26% nationally). During this period, minor motoring cases have fallen by 67% in both the Area and across England and Wales as a result of the transfer of responsibility for the prosecution of these offences back to the police.

Crown Prosecution Service: Staff

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, what estimate he has made of the number of people (a) the CPS employs and (b) who were employed by the CPS in May 2010.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service employed 5,946 staff at 31 December 2018 and 8,569 staff at 30 June 2010. CPS HR management information in relation to staff in post is only available from June 2010.

Wales Office

Wales Office: Trade Associations

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, which regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which his Department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations; and if he will make a statement.

Alun Cairns: The Wales Office has no regulatory functions within its responsibilities.

Wales Office: Brexit

Mr David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what progress he has made on laying statutory instruments relating to EU exit preparedness; and if he will make a statement.

Alun Cairns: The Government has made good progress in laying the up to 600 statutory instruments required by exit day to ensure a functioning statute book, including laying over 120 SIs in Parliament to make necessary changes on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales. All exit related statutory instruments are published on legislation.gov.uk, and include ‘EU Exit’ in their title. My Office is working with other Government departments and with the Welsh Government to prepare an Order to make the necessary amendments to the Government of Wales Act 2006 in light of EU exit. These changes can be made after our exit from the EU and we intend to lay the Order in draft this spring.

Wales Office: Staff

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Corrected Answer of 22 January 2019 to Question 206251 on Government Departments: Staff, how many civil servants in his Department were working (a) part and (b) full time on projects in the Government Major Projects Portfolio in (i) June 2016 and (ii) December 2018.

Alun Cairns: The GMPP is a continually evolving portfolio of the government’s most complex and high-risk projects. Direct comparisons of the GMPP across years should therefore be treated with caution. Projects join and leave the GMPP throughout the year and it is therefore likely that a simple comparison across two-time points will refer to different sets of projects. My Office works with lead Government departments on a range of major project investments in Wales in non-devolved sectors. The Office has no civil servants working full-time on the GMPP and does not record the number of staff engaged part-time on supporting these projects.

Ministry of Justice

Prisons: CCTV

Neil O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many CCTV cameras there are in each category (a) A and (b) B prison.

Neil O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the average proportion of space accessible to prisoners which is covered by CCTV camera in each category (a) A and (b) B prison.

Neil O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of installing and upgrading CCTV cameras across the prison estate in each of the last five years in each category (a) A and (b) B prison.

Rory Stewart: Holding answer received on 19 December 2018



The safety and security of prisons is a top priority. Prisons already use body searches, metal-detecting scanners and drug detection dogs, and we have invested £7 million in modern technology, including phone blocking technology and improved searching techniques. As announced recently in the Budget, we will now spend an extra £30 million this financial year to further improve decency, safety and security in prisons.  We do not disclose details of our prison security defence capability, including our use of CCTV, for reasons of operational security. Additionally, complete information on the cost of installing and upgrading CCTV in prisons could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. For the financial year 2018-2019, the Ministry of Justice has 52 separate projects pertaining to the installation/upgrade of CCTV within prisons, at a cost of £2,213,769.93.

Arms Length Bodies: Consultants

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much (a) his Department and (b) his Department's arm's length bodies spent on consultants in 2017-18.

Edward Argar: Total spent on Consultancy service during Financial Year 2017-18 for: Ministry of Justice was £37,605,447.50 Arm’s length bodies was £787,292.00 Consultancy Services, as used by the Ministry of Justice, are defined as externally sourced professional or expert advice across a range of specialist fields such as strategy, legal or HR. These specialist services are only used where there is no internal expertise, or where the nature of the advice is temporary or very specialist and does not warrant the permanent recruitment of Civil Servants.

Social Services: Children

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases concerning the Children's Act received legal aid in each year since 2011.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Services: Children

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications for legal aid in cases concerning the Children's Act were rejected in each year since 2011.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Care Proceedings: Children

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have received legal aid in cases concerning care proceedings in each year since 2011.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Legal Aid Scheme: Harassment

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people received legal aid for harassment cases in each year since 2011.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Legal Aid Scheme: Harassment

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were rejected for legal aid for harassment cases in each year since 2011.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Child Arrangement Orders: Grandparents

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his Department's policy is on grandparents' access rights to children after a family breakdown.

Lucy Frazer: Under the Children Act 1989, the welfare of the child is the court’s paramount concern when making any decision about the child’s upbringing. The 1989 Act enables grandparents who are excluded from the lives of their grandchildren to seek the leave of the court to apply for a child arrangements order specifying who the child is to spend time with, and when. The Department is considering whether further measures are needed to help grandparents maintain relationships with their grandchildren following parental separation and will announce its plans in due course.

Prisoners: Drugs

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were required to attend residential detoxification facilities as a condition of their sentence in each year since 2010 for which information is available.

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department has spent on residential detoxification facilities provided to individuals required to attend such facilities as a condition of their sentence in each year since 2010 for which information is available.

Edward Argar: There is no specific requirement for an offender to attend residential detoxification as a condition of their sentence. However, residential treatment may be provided within a Drug Rehabilitation Requirement (DRR) or Alcohol Treatment Requirement (ATR) through locally commissioned residential addiction recovery services. In England, these services are funded by local authorities, as part of their public health responsibilities. In Wales, health, including substance misuse services, is devolved to the Welsh Government. The table below shows the overall number of DRRs and ATRs commenced under community orders and suspended sentence orders in England and Wales since 2010. YearNumber of DRRs commenced Number of ATRs commenced201016,0718,538201113,6178,423201213,2948,6812013 13,6648,4942014 12,9518,045201511,7806,9482016 9,6986,06420178,7195,419We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and Public Health England to develop a protocol to support greater use of community sentences with treatment requirements (CSTRs) in courts, including drug rehabilitation and alcohol treatment requirements.

Prisoners' Release

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of prisoners being released on a (a) Friday and (b) Saturday to ensure that they are able to access housing and employment-related services on the day of release.

Rory Stewart: Prisoners are released when they have a statutory entitlement to be released once they have reached their automatic release date, or are released on a discretionary basis by the Parole Board, the Secretary of State or through early release on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) by prison governors. If the automatic release date falls on a weekend or Bank holiday, the law (Section 23(3) Criminal Justice Act 1961) requires the release to be brought forward to the first preceding working day. Prisoners released on Fridays have the same access to support from probation providers as those released on any other day, including help in finding suitable accommodation and employment related services. Where appropriate, offenders may also be released on temporary licence (ROTL) in the run up to their release to facilitate appointments for resettlement purposes. I continue, however, to explore ways to reduce the burden of Friday release. We are taking decisive action to improve the delivery of probation services in England and Wales, including investing £22million in extra support for offenders leaving prison. We are also investing £6m as part of the Government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy in pilot schemes bringing together prisons, local authorities, probation providers and others to plan, secure and sustain accommodation for offenders on their release.

Electronic Tagging: Contracts

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which companies his Department has contracted to deliver electronic tagging services; and what the (a) value and (b) duration is of each of those contracts.

Rory Stewart: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Justice: Brexit

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much of the £47 million allocated to his Department for Brexit preparations in 2018-19 and 2019-20 has been allocated to preparing for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Lucy Frazer: HM Treasury has allocated over £4.2 billion of additional funding to departments and the Devolved Administrations for EU exit preparations so far. This breaks down as: £412m of additional funding over the spending review period for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office at Autumn Statement 2016.£286m of additional funding for 17/18 (a full breakdown of which can be found in Supplementary Estimates 17/18: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/679738/PU2137_Supplementary_estimates_web.pdf.)Over £1.5bn of additional funding for 18/19. A full breakdown of the allocations can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on the 13th March (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/)Over £2bn of additional funding for 19/20. A full breakdown of the allocations can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS1205, laid on the 18th December (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-12-18/HCWS1205/) The Ministry of Justice was allocated £17.3m in 18/19 and £30m in 19/20 from HMT specifically for EU-related activities.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what legal aid will be available for (a) applications and (b) appeals in relation to the EU settlement scheme.

Lucy Frazer: For the majority of cases, the application and review process in relation to the EU Settlement Scheme will be straightforward. However, the Government recognises that not every case will be straightforward and, as with all cases outside the scope of legal aid, exceptional funding may be available where the requisite criteria are met. It is worth noting that the Home Office have introduced an employer toolkit which equips employers with the right tools and information to support EU citizens and their families to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Ministry of Justice: Contracts

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether companies that gain contracts to run outsourced (a) cleaning and (b) security services in his Department will be required to (i) recognise Trades Unions and (b) pay the Real Living Wage; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Argar: Companies that gain contracts for outsourced cleaning and security services are expected to observe Cabinet Office Guidance in relation to trade unions, which is that “service providers should actively communicate and, where appropriate, seek to build good relations with trade unions”.Rates of pay for cleaners and security staff are determined by their respective employers. All outsourced providers are required to pay as a minimum, either the National Minimum Wage or the National Living Wage.

Designated Public Places Orders: Prosecutions

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer of 7 January 2019 to question 203778 on Designated Public Places Orders: Prosecutions, how many prosecutions there were for the offence of consumption of alcohol in a designated public place under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 by location of the court in each year from 30 May 2009.

Lucy Frazer: The number of defendants prosecuted for the offence of consumption of alcohol in a designated public place by Police Force Area in each year from 2009 to 2017 can be found in the accompanying table. 



Table
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Prisoners: Sexual Offences

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all prisons that house sexual offenders have a strategy developed for managing those offenders.

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans for strategies for sexual offenders to be implemented in all prisons that house them.

Rory Stewart: I note that the question is related to one of the findings in the recently published thematic inspection by HM Inspectorate of Probation and HM Inspectorate of Prisons on the management and supervision of men convicted of sexual offences. We take this report, and our responsibilities to protect the public, incredibly seriously. With this in mind we will publish a full action plan setting out a comprehensive response to the Inspectorates’ recommendations and conclusions, including how we will respond to this and the other recommendations made in the report, shortly.

Sentencing

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to take to ensure that Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service implement a national needs analysis for people serving both custodial and community sentences; and if he will make a statement.

Rory Stewart: National needs information about prisoners and those under probation supervision is available to those making decisions about HMPPS service planning and provision. Immediate needs of prisoners are recorded on the Basic Custody Screening Tool (BCST). The needs of those under supervision by probation are recorded on case management systems. Assessments of both those in prison and on probation are completed using the Offender Assessment System (OASys) and other specialist tools. This information is used to plan delivery of interventions that help reduce the likelihood of reoffending and/or manage the risk of serious harm. Additionally, national data tools, including segmentation of the prison and probation population, are made available to HMPPS periodically to support business planning decisions at a local and national level.

Prisoners' Release: Sexual Offences

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners released from training prisons whose sentences were for sexual offences did not receive (a) Community Rehabilitation Company resettlement and (b) Through the Gate services on release in each of the last three years.

Rory Stewart: Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) do not hold the specific information requested centrally and it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost by manually searching offender records to ascertain whether those released from training prisons were offered resettlement activities or Through the Gate services following their release from prison. We are taking decisive action to improve the delivery of probation services in England and Wales, including investing £22million in extra support for offenders leaving prison. When sex offenders are released, they are closely monitored by police and probation and subject to strict licence conditions – and liable to be returned to custody for breaching them. We have introduced a new Director General role for Probation to develop a dedicated approach to managing sex offenders, and we are expanding supervised accommodation, investing in training and deploying specially trained probation officers to focus on sex offenders in prison.

Prisoners: Sexual Offences

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many trainee probation officers were trained to work with sexual offenders in each of the last three years.

Rory Stewart: All trainees working towards attaining the Professional Qualification in Probation Practice receive training in working with sexual offenders. We are taking decisive action to improve the delivery of probation services in England and Wales, including investing £22 million in extra support for offenders leaving prison. When sex offenders are released, they are closely monitored by police and probation and subject to strict licence conditions – and liable to be returned to custody for breaching them. We have introduced a new Director General role for Probation to develop a dedicated approach to managing sex offenders, and we are expanding supervised accommodation, investing in training and deploying specially trained probation officers to focus on sex offenders in prison.

Prisons

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Category C Prisons there are in England and Wales; and how many of those prisons routinely accommodated prisoners of a higher risk category in 2018.

Rory Stewart: In 2018 there were 43 predominant category C training prisons in England and Wales. All prisoners are individually assessed as to their risk of escape or abscond, their risk of harm to the public should they escape or abscond and their risk to the good order of the establishment. This ensures categorisation of prisoners to a prison providing an appropriate level of security. Only those prisoners categorised as C would be held in a category C prison. If after reassessment a category C prisoner is required to transfer to a category B prison they are usually held in a segregation unit pending transfer to a suitable category B establishment.

Magistrates' Courts: Closures

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of magistrates’ court closures on access to justice.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Legal Profession

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of leaving the EU on the UK’s legal sectors.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Magistrates' Courts: Witnesses

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of non-appearances by (a) defendants and (b) witnesses in magistrates’ courts over the last three years.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coroners

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) post-mortem investigations and (b) inquests were undertaken by coroners into deaths in assessment and treatment units in each year since 2010.

Edward Argar: The Ministry of Justice collates statistics on the number of inquests and post-mortem investigations commissioned and publishes these annually. They can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coroners-and-burials-statistics Since 2011 deaths of patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 have been separately recorded along with deaths in other forms of state detention and custody. However, with this exception deaths are not otherwise sub-categorised by location and the number of deaths of voluntary patients in treatment and assessment units is not recorded.

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Written Questions

Jo Platt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to answer Question 169861 on Government: Databases tabled on 3 September 2018.

Oliver Dowden: I responded to Question 169861 on 30/01/19. The response can be found here:https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-09-03/169861/

Cabinet Office: Trade Associations

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which his Department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations; and if he will make a statement.

Oliver Dowden: The Cabinet Office does not hold this information centrally.

Census: Sikhs

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2019 to Question 211865 on Census: Sikhs, how many of the 53 focus group participants supported the introduction of a Sikh ethnic tick box.

Mr David Lidington: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Response
(PDF Document, 68.15 KB)

Cybercrime

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans his Department has to develop the National Cyber Security Strategy beyond 2021.

Mr David Lidington: The threat to the UK posed by cyber attacks continues to grow in scale and complexity. We are already considering how the National Cyber Security Strategy may need to evolveto respond to this challenge in the next two years and beyond 2021. The Cabinet Office is leading this work in collaboration with the rest of government, industry, academia and thedevolved administrations.

Cybercrime: EU Countries

Jo Platt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assurances he has received that the UK will continue to benefit from involvement with the EU computer emergency response team in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Mr David Lidington: The Political Declaration between the United Kingdom and the European Union includes a commitment that the UK and Computer Emergency Response Team – European Union (CERT-EU) will continue to cooperate closely. The UK has been a partner for CERT-EU’s in tactical cooperation around incidents which have affected EU institutions, and in the event we leave the EU without a deal we expect to continue to share reporting and expertise.

Reducing Regulation Committee

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions the Reducing Regulation Committee has met; what decisions have flowed from those meetings; and if he will make a statement.

Oliver Dowden: The Reducing Regulation sub-Committee considers issues related to reducing regulation. Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including when and how often they meet and minutes of their proceedings, is not publicly disclosed to protect the principles of collective responsibility.

Interserve

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2019 to Question 204484 on Interserve and the Answer of 24 January 2019 to Question 204485, for what reason the information provided does not include the number of meetings held by (a) Ministers in his Department and (b) Cabinet Office Markets and Suppliers team with representatives of Interserve plc in 2018.

Oliver Dowden: Multiple officials from the Government Commercial Function, including the Crown Representative and other officials from the Markets and Suppliers team, interact with a range of Interserve employees through formal meetings, conference calls, individual phone calls, and other forums (including meetings hosted by other departments), as they do with most Strategic Suppliers. There will normally be multiple such interactions per week. Ministers in the Cabinet Office receive a weekly update on supplier issues including Strategic Suppliers.

Interserve: Living Wage

Frank Field: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2019 to Question 211108, whether Interserve FM ltd are contractually required to pay their employees the Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

Oliver Dowden: Interserve FM ltd are not contractually required to pay their employees a Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, to what does the expense area ERG Civil Service Talent in the Cabinet Office spend data for November 2018 refer.

Oliver Dowden: Civil Service Talent is a directorate within Civil Service HR, focussing on attracting, retaining and developing talented people from diverse backgrounds to create a Brilliant Civil Service.Teams within Civil Service Talent deliver accelerated development programmes and offer executive recruitment services for roles within the Senior Civil Service.